lb i-y-^if 



SPELLING 

RESULTS OF AN INVESTIGATION 
OF PUPILS' ABILITY TO SPELL 



By 
J. W. STUDEBAKER 

Assistant Superintendent of Schools, 
Des Moines» Iowa 




NEWSON & COMPANY 

NEW YORK :: BOSTON :: CHICAGO 



Published 1916 

THE ALDINE SPELLER 

In offering this new Speller for the consideration 
of those who are concerned with the teaching of 
this important subject, the publishers desire to call 
attention to the following distinguishing features: 

1. Carefully prepared instructions to the 

teacher. 

2. Phonetic lists on which words in com- 

mon use are based. 

3. A systematic and comprehensive pre- 

sentation of the words and spelling 
facts that every pupil must learn. 

4. A progressively expanding vocabulary 

fitted to the pupil's present and 
future needs. 

5. A large number of dictation exercises 

based on the words found in the 
spelling lesson. 

6. Special stress laid on the most difficult 

words. 

7. Oft-repeated drills on the real trouble- 

makers. 

8. Omission of words seldom used in 

speaking and writing. 

Four-Book Edition 
THE ALDINE SPELLER, Part I, Grades 1 and 2 
THE ALDINE SPELLER, Part II, Grades 3 and 4 
THE ALDINE SPELLER, Part III, Grades 5 and 6 
THE ALDINE SPELLER, Part IV, Grades 7 and 8 

''y.Two-Book Edition 

THE* ALDINE SPELLER, Grades 1-4 
THE ALDINE SPELLER, Grades 5-8 



NEWSON & COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 
New York Boston Chicago 



SPELLING 

RESULTS OF AN INVESTIGATION 
OF PUPILS' ABILITY TO SPELL 



jfw. 



By 
STUDEBAKER 



Assistant Superintendent of Schools, 
Des Moines, Iowa 




NEWSON & COMPANY 

NEW YORK :: BOSTON :: CHICAGO 






Copyright, 191 6, 

BY 

NEWSON y COMPANY 

[1] 



A: 



nT 



©CI.A433875 
JUL 27 1916 



INTRODUCTION 

Despite the efforts of teachers and educators during past years to 
evolve efficient methods of teaching spelling, the criticism is still 
heard that the subject is poorly taught. The lack of spelling ability 
on the part of pupils is one of the most frequent topics of discussion 
among teachers. Not only in the elementary school, but in high school 
and college, hundreds of misspelled words occur almost daily in the 
written work of students. These are not found to be among the 
comparatively difficult and unusual words, but are confined very 
largely to simple and necessary ones. 

In the light of these facts it seemed wise to undertake some 
investigations and to make some measurements of the spelling ability 
of the pupils in the Des Moines schools. Answers were sought to 
the following questions: 

1. Are the pupils in Des Moines as efficient in spelhng as the 
children of other cities? 

2. If so, why? If not, what grades are below the standard of other 
cities? 

3. In what particular spelling abilities are the pupils weak? 

4. Does the textbook in use contain suitable material, and is this 
material properly graded and arranged? 

5. Can all of the words in the text be taught in the time assigned 
to spelling? 

6. Have our methods of teaching spelling seemed to be poor only 
because they were burdened with the presentation of too much 
material? 

7. Are some words more frequently used and misspelled than 
others? 

8. If so, have these words been designated and emphasized? 
After careful consideration of the answers to these questions, 

the following conclusions were reached with regard to the work in 
spelling in the schools of Des Moines. 

1. Adequate provision for teaching spelling in the primary grades 
had not been made. 

2. In general, during the first part of the year, the pupils in Des 
Moines were a little less efficient than the children in other cities. 

3. The material and methods used during the year resulted in 
making the efficiency of each grade higher at the close of the year 
than the same grades in fifteen other cities. 

3 



4 INTRODUCTION 

4. The spelling book in use requires the teach'ng of so many- 
words that pupils are decidedly inefficient in the spelling of the most 
necessary ones. In this respect Des Moines pupils are not unhke the 
pupils in many other cities. 

5. Comparatively few words are commonly used and misspelled. 
These should constitute a minimum list and sufficient opportunity 
should be provided to teach and review them so that pupils will be 
one hundred per cent efficient in their spelling and use. 

6. The absence of graded minimum lists* has led to a great dif- 
ference in the abilities of pupils in the same grades in different schools 
to spell certain lists of necessaiy words. For example: One fifth 
grade spelled eighty-four per cent of the " One Hundred Demons," 
while another was able to spell only fifty-nine per cent. The average 
for the city was eighty per cent. 

7. To teach the spelling of the excessive number of words in the 
spelling course, teachers have been forced to neglect the teaching 
of their proper use. 

*It is interesting to note that the vocabulary of the Aldine Readers 
supphes the words required for the " Minimum Lists " to be taught in the lower 
grades, in accordance v/ith the conclusions herein shown. See pages 31 to 37 of 
this monograph for the lists taken from the Aldine Primer, First, and Second 
Readers. 



SPELLING 



TEST WITH WORDS FROM DR. AYRES' LIST 

(November, 1915) 

The following lists of words were selected bj^ Dr. Leonard P. AjTes, 
of the Russell Sage Foundation, who has been conducting investi- 
gations in spelling throughout the country during the past few years. 
From among hundreds of words pronounced to the pupils in many 
cities in the United States, these particular ones were spelled correctly 
by approximately seventy per cent of the pupils in the respective 
grades of one hundred school systems. It might, therefore, be expected 
that if the pupils in Des Moines were as efficient in spelling as the 
pupils in other cities, they would also spell seventy per cent of the 
words correctly. "VVTiile the words do not constitute a final test of 
pupils' ability in spelling, they do furnish a fairly comprehensive 
measurement, especially when large groups of pupils are tested. 







List of Words 




Second Grade 


Third Grade Focrth Grade 


; Fifth Grade 


foot 


fill 


forty 


several 


get 


point 


rate 


leaving 


for 


state 


children 


publish 


horse 


ready 


prison 


o'clock 


out 


almost title 


running 


well 


high 


getting 


known 


name 


event 


need 


secure 


room 


done 


throw 


wait 


left 


pass 


feel 


manner 


with 


Tuesday speak 


flight 


Sixth Grade 


Seventh Grade 


Eighth Grade 


decide 




district 


organization 


general. 




consideration 


tariff 


manner 




athletic 


emergency 


too 




distinguish 


corporation 


automobile 


evidence 


receipt 


victim 




amendment 


cordially 


hospital 




liquor 


discussion 


neither 




experience 


appreciation 


toward 




receive 


decision 


business 




conference 
5 


convenience 



SPELLING 



TABLE No. 1 
RESULT, IN PERCENTAGES, OF TEST ON THE AYRES' WORDS 

Grades 



Schools 


2 


3 


4 


5 


6 


■ 7 


§ 


Average 


35 

10 

11 

9 


66 
56 

48 
39 
45 


65 
55 
69 
63 
61 


54 
70 
86 
69 
69 


80 
78 
81 
76 
76 


70 
74 
60 
70 
71 


61 62 
80 68 67 
74 40 68 
72 63 63 
83 70 68 


i 

12 
13 
14 
44 
15 
16 


42 


48 


72 


75 


72 


7 


1 66 62 


20 
44 


39 
66 


69 
73 


68 
79 


64 

08 


77 00 57 
75 71 68 
69 75 72 


22 
57 


14 
55 


38 
59 


40 

77 


85 
73 


58 45 37 
78 70 68 


17 


56 


34 


58 


67 


59 


7 


9 65 1 i»y 


18 
21 


07 

54 


54 

67 


70 
73 


75 
72 


SO 
75 


7 
7 


8 7 
8 7 


5 (Z 
2 69 


20 


54 


36 


44 


71 


65 


77 80 b6 


19 
22 


51 
27 


70 
52 


73 

68 


75 
75 


76 
72 


63 69 68 
73 64 62 


6 


51 


34 


69 


60 


61 


3 


58 52 


8 


40 


53 


77 


87 


74 


7 


7 63 67 


23 


38 


64 


74 


87 


74 


S 


4 6 


9 7U 


24 


57 


51 


51 


60 


61 


6 


4 b 


2 58 


1 


63 


58 


72 


79 


SO 


7 


8 7 


3 70 


2 


44 


49 


65 


66 


65 


6 


6 e 


1 58 


5 


34 


52 


70 


77 


78 


G 


5 € 


1 50 


26 


32 


53 


69 


75 


64 


C 


9 C 


3 50 


25 


60 


50 


76 


73 


69 


8 


1 C 


9 66 


3 


43 


57 


73 


75 


65 


7 


7 t 


3 63 


4 


43 


44 


52 


73 


57 




6 C 


.8 58 


36 


69 


53 


68 










64 


27 


53 


74 


68 


84 


60 






67 


46 


55 


62 












56 


28 


67 


85 


S3 


88 


80 






82 


37 


44 


46 


65 


62 


CO 






54 


29 


44 


64 


64 


80 


66 






63 


38 


31 


63 












53 


39 


26 


56 


72 


84 








56 


40 


42 


56 


81 


73 


77 






65 


30 


54 


55 


56 


67 


69 






60 


31 


39 


41 


66 


70 


66 






57 


32 


30 


52 


71 


72 


71 






59 


33 


66 


54 


71 


77 


78 






70 


41 


31 


36 


74 


92 






'5 


60 


42 






60 


69 


65 




8 ( 


57 68 


34 


42 


65 


71 


75 


74 






66 


43 


45 


65 


70 










65 


Average 


48 


56 


68 


74 


70 




74 


35 64.2 



MEANING AND SPELLING OF WORDS 



AN INVESTIGATION TO ASCERTAIN EFFICIENCY IN TEACHING 
THE MEANING AND SPELLING OF WORDS 

Purpose and Method Used 

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the 
pupils' abihty to use and spell the words taught in grades four to 
eight, inclusive. The test was made in two parts. The first part was 
given at the close of the third school month of the first semester, 
and the second part in the same rooms at the close of the third school 
month of the second semester. The pupils of thirty teachers in 
representative schools were tested, but six records were not included 
in the final tabulation because of a lack of uniformity in various 
details. 

The tests were made as follows: A random selection of twenty 
or twenty-five words was made from all words taught up to the 
time of giving the test. The principals selected the words, con- 
ducted the tests, checked all papers and recorded all results. The 
words were pronounced to the pupils and these directions were given: 
" Number each word." 

" Use each one in a sentence in such a way as to make its mean- 
ing clear." 
" If you can't use the word, spell it." 

" If you are sure you can't spell it, leave the space blank." 

The results, as shown in Table No. 2 which follows, were reported 

by the principals, together with five samples each of items 9, 10 and 

11. These samples were requested in order to check the manner in 

which the use of words had been interpreted by the various examiners. 



SPELLING 



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CD 


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lO 


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lOO'OO'O'Ot^O'O'OiOO'OLOiOOOOOOOOO'O 
C^ CO lO lO C? X CO CI CI lO C? CI CI ^ d CO lO O CI 

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c 
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o o ic o o >o t^ o lo lo lo o »o ic o o o c c C' o o c: 'O 

lO t^ lO O X CI X O CO CI CI CI CI CI I^ C O O C^ CI I-- lO O CI 


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XOC0i0i0i0»0'J0i0»-0^'*Tt^-!J^'*C0C0C0C1i-H 


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6 


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■-H •*• 



MEANING AND SPELLING OF WORDS 



Results (City Scores) 



First 
Semester. 



Second 
Semester. 



Increase. 



Median per cent of efficiency 

Weekly time in minutes 

Number ot new words taught daily 

Per cent of words used properly 

Per cent of words spelled correctly 

Difference in per cents between use and spelling 

(Individual Scores) 

Lowest per cent of efficiency 

Highest per cent of efficiency 

Lowest per cent used properly 

Highest per cent used properly 

Lowest per cent spelled correctly 

Highest per cent spelled correctly 

Lowest number of new words taught daily 

Highest number of new words taught daily 

Difference between lowest and highest per cents in use 

Difference between lowest and highest per cents in 

spelling 



51.5 

125 
10 

42 
61 
19 



76.5 

100 
6 

78 

75 

3 



15 
68.5 


38.5 

97 


4 

82 


43 
96 


25 
76 


34 

98 


5 
20 


5 
15 


78 


53 


51 


64 



25 

Decrease. 

25 
4 
Increase. 

36 

14 



23.5 

28.5 

39 
14 

9 

9'> 



Decrease. 

25 
Increase. 

13 



INTERESTING FACTS 

1. The amount of time was of little importance as a determining 
factor in the resulting efficiencies. 

2. The pupils of the teacher using the most time the first semester 
(two hundred minutes a week) were the lowest in efficiency (15%). 

3. The pupils of the teacher using sixty-five minutes per week, 
which was next to the lowest time, ranked third in efficiency (64%). 

4. The great range in the percentages showing the proper use of 
words the first semester, from four to eighty-two per cent, indicates 
the entire absence of a standard in this phase of the work. 

5. A comparison of the difference between the use and the spelling 
of words the first semester (19%) with the difference in the second 
semester (3%) indicates an effort to equalize these two abilities. 

6. Along with a reduction in time of twenty-five minutes a week, 
the efficiency increased twenty-five per cent. 

7. The improvement explained in No. 6 above was without doubt 

the result of three causes: (a) A decrease in the number of words 

taught daily; (6) discussion of important points in teaching spelling 

with nearly all of the teachers in groups; (c) all teachers from the 

second through the eighth grades had worked through an excellent 

experiment * on the method of conducting the spelling exercise. 

* A slight modification of one originated by H. C. Pearson, Principal of the Horace 
Mann School, New York City. 



10 SPELLING 



COMMENTS 



In order to " cover " the established course outlined in the spelling 
book, teachers were attempting to teach during the first semester an 
average of ten new words each day, although some teachers were 
presenting twenty new words. The lesults are what might be expected 
under this cramming process, wuth which the teachers as a whole have 
been quite dissatisfied. 

Only forty-two per cent of the words were used properly in sentences 
and only sixty-one per cent spelled correctly. The spelling of words 
had been emphasized, while their meaning had been neglected. This 
is qui e natural. In the rush to complete the large number of words 
required in the book, teachers were forced to give their attention 
to only one phase of the teaching of spelling, namely, the order of 
letters. The difference in the pupils' ability to spell and to use the 
w'ords is nineteen per cent. This means that the 898 pupils men- 
tioned in Table No. 2 were unable to use nineteen per cent of the 
12,225 words, the order of letters in which they had been required to 
memorize. The pupils in room 21 could spell seventy per cent of the 
words taught, but could use only nine per cent. In other words, sixty- 
one per cent of their effort had been expended on material which was 
useless to them. 

In hfe outside and beyond the school pupils will not misspell words 
the meaning of which thej^ do not know. 

This is true because people do not usually attempt to write words 
which have no meaning to them. This confines their chances to mis- 
spell entirely to familiar words. Therefore, since pupils will be 
marked as poor spellers only to the extent that they misspell words 
already in their writing vocabularies, however meager, and since 
pupils cannot make intelligent use in waiting of meaningless words, 
it is highly important that an effort be made to 

EQUALIZE THE ABILITIES OF PUPILS IN THE SPELLING AND 

USE OF WORDS 

The development of a high degree of efficiency in the proper use of 
words is a comparatively slow process because it necessitates the 
thoughtful establishment of many associations. The teaching of 
the mere spelling of words can be much more readily done because 
it is largely a matter of memory and can be accomplished through 
drill, which is the quickest way to get mechanical results in any 
field. To equahze the abiUties of pupils in the spelling and use of 
words will, therefore, require that only a few new words, perhaps 
not more than five or six in any grade, be presented each day. This 
will provide an opportunity during a fifteen- or twenty-minute period 



SPELLING AND USE OF WORDS 11 

for teachers to do the kind of work necessary in teaching pupils to 
make intelHgent use of words. 

It will be noticed that the median efficiency attained at the time 
of the last test was 76.5 per cent. Just what degree of efficiency 
might reasonably be expected can be determined only by further 
experimentation, but teachers should set as their standard an efficiency 
of at least eighty-five per cent. It is very probable that with more 
suitable spelling material and a normal improvement in methods 
this standard might be made ninety or ninety-five per cent. 

In connection with this matter of tentative standards, it must 
not be forgotten that an efficiency of one hundred per cent is prob- 
ably not even theoretically possible under practical conditions. This 
is because all pupils are not present every day to profit by the instruc- 
tion on all of the material which constitutes the final test. The ten- 
tative standard of eighty-five per cent takes these practical con- 
ditions into consideration. 

It is recommended that teachers make this sort of test from time 
to time in order to ascertain the efficiency. If many words have been 
taught previous to the time of giving the test it would be advisable 
to make a random selection in order to minimize the amount of 
tabulating. To make a random selection arrange the words alpha- 
betically and select every other word, every third word, every fourth 
word, etc., according to the total number in the list. 

The writer fully realizes that an investigation conducted as ex- 
plained above will result in a slight lack of uniformity among the 
several investigators in the interpretation of the use of words, but these 
differences are not sufficient to vitiate results. 

SENTENCES SELECTED FROM CHILDREN'S PAPERS 
Words Used with Meaning Partially Clear 

1. Gymnasium is a good exercise. 

2. Who will voluntary to carry this message? 

3. It is on exposition at the Y. M. C. A. 

4. She was haggard clear out. 

5. A lady in the town where I lived was ignorance. 

Words Used Showing No Knowledge of Meaning 

1. I shall have to premeditate unto her. 

2. He is an adhesive boy. 

3. The boy is very medley. 

4. I will convene you. 

5. It makes no difference where I squander, there is no place like 
home. 



12 



spelli>;g 



The " One Hundred Demons " 

The following list of words was made up bj^ Dr. W. F. Jones, of 
South Dakota University, who conducted a rather comprehensive 
and very careful investigation of the material of English spelling. 
He named these words the " One Hundred Spelling Demons of the 
English Language " because he found them to be frequently and 
persistently misspelled in all grades of the elementary school. (This 
list was used as a test in February, 1915. See page 13.) With the 
exception of the nine words indicated below, all of these words were 
used very often, that is, by at least two per cent of the children in the 
second grade in their written compositions. 



The " Demons " 

(The words not followed by figures were used in the second grade. 
The others came into the vocabularies in the grades indicated.) 



always 


coming 


heard 


raise 


though 


among 


cough 


here 


road 


through 


any 


don't 


hear 


straight 


they 


again 


does 


instead 


sugar 


tonight 


ache 


done 


just 


shoes 


truly— 3 


answer 


dear 


knew 


said 


used 


business — 4 


doctor 


know 


says 


vciy 


been 


every 


laid 


sure 


which 


built 


easy 


lose 


since 


w^here 


busy 


early 


loose 


some 


women 


believe 


enough 


many 


seems — 4 


write 


beginning 


friend 


meant 


separate 


writing 


blue 


February 


making 


their 


would 


break 


forty— 3 


minute 


there 


Wednesday 


buy 


grammar — 4 


much 


Tuesday— 6 


wear 


can't 


guess 


none 


two 


whether 


country 


hoarse— 3 


often 


too 


whole 


could 


half 


once 


trouble — 4 


won't 


color 


having 


piece 


tear 


wrote 


choose— 3 


hour 


ready 


tired 


week 



THE ONE HUNDRED DEMONS" 



13 



TABLE NO. 3 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECORD MADE ON THE "ONE HUNDRED 
DEMONS." (FEBRUARY, 1915) 

Distributions According to the Number pF Words Missed 





Grades 










Grades 


Number 






Number 








Pupils Who 
Missed 






Pupils Who 
fc Missed 




















1 ! 




3 j 4 


5 


6 


7 8 






3 


4 


5 


6 


7 1 


8 


words 


•• ^ 


9 


38 6 


7 


51 words 




9 


19 


13 


2 




1 






1 


6 


19 


37 7 


I 


52 " 




13 


16 


7 


6 






2 ' 






1 


13 


28 


59 8 


3 


53 •' 




11 


18 


8 








3 ' 






4 


18 


26 


60 7 


? 


54 " 




10 


13 


4 








4 ' 




2 


6 


19 


47 


66 6 


3 


55 " 




16 


23 


6 








5 ' 




1 


4 


21 


44 


79 7 


5 


56 " 




9 


18 


6 


1 






6 ' 




1 


7 


31 


55 


75 6 


1 


57 " 




13 


15 


6 


1 


1 




7 ' 




1 


15 


45 


57 


73 5 


3 


58 " 




10 


14 


3 


1 






8 ' 




2 


19 


43 


45 


64 4 


5 


59 " 




10 


15 


4 


1 


1 




9 ■ 




1 


15 


48 


55 


57 3 


2 


60 " 




19 


16 


3 








10 ' 




1 


20 


51 


63 


50 2 


S 


61 " 


6 


6 


4 








11 ' 




2 


20 


46 


50 


53 2 


S 


62 " 




10 


10 


4 








12 ' 




5 


22 


59 


45 


£0 2 


9 


63 " 




11 


6 


1 


3 






13 ' 




2 


23 


41 


32 


34 1 


4 


64 " 




5 


7 


2 








14 ' 




2 


19 


52 


36 


37 1 


7 


65 " 




14 


8 




2 






15 ' 




8 


15 


53 


40 


31 2 


3 


(6 " 




12 


11 










16 ' 




5 


33 


41 


38 


21 1 


5 


67 " 




12 


3 


4 








17 ' 




5 


29 


46 


39 


21 1 


1 


68 " 




9 


13 


2 








18 ■ 




6 


31 


47 


35 


19 1 


4 


69 " 




2 


10 


3 








19 ' 




8 


32 


35 


25 


24 1 


3 


70 " 




8 


4 










20 • 






32 


51 


30 


16 1 


4 


71 " 




12 


11 


2 


1 






21 ' 




3 


28 


41 


33 


10 


4 


72 " 




8 


4 










22 ' 




3 


32 


42 


27 


9 1 


1 


73 " 




7 


8 


1 








23 ' 




9 


25 


42 


23 


11 


6 


74 " 




11 


11 


2 








24 • 




66 


24 


43 


26 


11 


7 


75 " 




10 


6 


1 








25 ' 




62 


32 


48 


17 


13 


5 


76 " 




1 


5 


1 


1 






26 ' 




23 


26 


29 


17 


9 


2 


77 " 




11 


1 










27 ' 




33 


38 


30 


18 


2 


4 


78 " 




11 


2 


2 








28 ' 




3 


27 


36 


18 


16 


5 


79 " 




8 


4 


1 








29 * 




10 


33 


26 


12 


3 


1 


SO " 




8 


4 




1 






30 ' 




14 


28 


34 


21 


5 


1 


81 " 




9 


4 


i 








31 ' 




9 


35 


27 


11 


6 


2 


82 " 




5 


3 










32 ' 




6 


19 


20 


11 


11 


3 


S3 " 




11 


1 


1 








33 ' 




9 


24 


18 


11 


1 


1 


84 " 




8 


2 










34 ' 




8 


47 


26 


12 


3 


2 


85 " 




7 












35 ' 




5 


18 


20 


5 


9 


4 


86 " 




4 


2 










36 ' 




6 


28 


19 


7 


3 . 




87 " 




10 


4 


1 








37 ' 




7 


27 


22 


6 


3 . 




88 " 




4 


4 










38 ' 




8 


29 


19 


11 


2 . 




89 " 




5 


2 


1 








39 ■ 




8 


23 


15 


7 


2 




90 " 




4 


1 










40 ' 




9 


29 


25 


7 






91 " 




5 










41 ' 


t 


4 


34 


17 


9 






92 " 




2 


3 










42 ' 




9 


19 


16 


4 






93 " 




5 


1 










43 ' 




11 


24 


23 


8 






94 " 




6 


1 










44 ' 




8 


22 


15 


5 


i 




95 " 




6 


1 










45 ' 




8 


17 


13 


2 


1 




96 " 
















46 ' 




10 


20 


13 


3 


1 




97 " 




1 


1 










47 ' 




9 


20 


11 


8 






98 " 
















48 ' 




10 


24 


6 


2 


i ; 




99 " 
















49 ' 




13 


22 


7 


3 


2 . 




100 " 
















60 * 




10 


34 


8 


1 




i 




















GRADES 




3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


Number of pupils in grade taking test 


833 


1,488 


1,571 


1,183 


1,101 


906 


Total number words for each grade 


83,300 


148,800 


157,100 


118,300 1 


10,100 


90,600 


Nv.n ber of words missed in each grade 


39,298 


54,061 


30,145 


19,528 


11.880 


6,996 


Nun bcr of words correctly spelled 


44,002 


94,739 


126,955 


98,772 


98,220 


83,704 


Per cent cnrrertlv sne 


led 


52.8 


63.8 


80.8 


82 6 


88.3 


92.3 




















1 











14 



SPELLING 



TABLE NO. 4 
HIGH SCHOOL RECORD OF TEST ON THE "ONE HUNDRED DEMONS" 

(FEBRUARY, 1915) 
Distributions According to the Numjier of Words Missed 



Number Pupils 
Who Missed 


Freshman 
Class 


Sophomore 
Class 


Junior 
Class 


Senior 
Class 


Total 


words 


90 


81 


91 


113 


375 


1 " 


109 


72 


88 


57 


326 


2 " 


85 


70 


62 


55 


272 


3 " 


87 


51 


43 


47 


228 


4 " 


73 


68 


49 


26 


216 


5 " 


54 


48 


34 


18 


154 


6 " 


02 


39 


24 


15 


140 


7 " 


48 


29 


32 


12 


121 


8 " 


48 


2] 


17 


8 


94 


9 " 


40 


18 


16 


6 


80 


10 " 


32 


15 


11 


6 


64 


11 " 


26 


10 


7 


7 


50 


12 " 


6 


9 


8 


1 


24 


13 " 


19 


7 


9 


3 


38 


14 " 


23 


15 


7 




45 


15 " 


15 


9 


1 




25 


16 " 


8 


3 


2 


"2 


15 


17 " 





3 


6 


2 


17 


18 " 


3 


5 


1 




9 


19 " 


4 




2 




7 


?0 " 


5 


3 


1 




10 


21 " 


6 




1 




8 


22 " 


1 


2 






3 


23 " 


3 








3 


24 " 


2 


3 






5 


25 " 


6 




i 




8 


26 " 


2 








2 


27 " 


5 




"i 




6 


28 " 


4 








4 


29 " 


1 








1 


30 " 




2 






2 


31 " 






"i 




1 


32 " 


i 






"i 


2 


33 " 


1 








1 


34 " 












35 " 


1 








1 


36 " 


3 








3 


37 " 












38 " 


1 








1 


39 " 


1 








1 


40 " 












41 " 












42 " 












43 " 












44 " 












45 " 












46 " 












47 " 












48 " 












49 " 












50 " 












No. pupils 


881 


586 


515 


380 


2.362 


Total No. words 


88,100 


58,600 


51,500 


38,000 


236,200 


No. missed 


5,525 
82,575 


2,955 
55,645 


2,182 


998 


11,660 


No. correct 


49,318 


37,002 


224,540 


Per cent correct .... 


93.7 


94.9 


95.7 


97.3 


95. 



THE ONE HUNDRED DEMONS" 



15 



TABLE No. 5 

CITY RECORD BY SCHOOLS OF SPELLING TEST ON THE 
HUNDRED DEMONS" (FEBRUARY, 1915) 

Grades 3 to S Inclusive 



'ONE 



No. of School 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


Total 


1 


56.9 


61.7 


76.2 


85.4 


88.5 


94.0 


75.2 


2 


47.1 


75.2 


80.5 


80.6 


87.5 


92.5 


74.8 


3 


35.6 


63.8 


75.1 


81.9 


88.8 


85.9 


68.5 


4 


44.7 


64.0 


67.0 


78.7 


89.1 


88.7 


71.3 


6 


54.6 


60.6 


75.8 


87.0 


87.7 


94.1 


73.7 


6 


40.4 


56.6 


75.0 


75.1 


79.7 


97.9 


70.8 


7 


57.3 


65.8 


81.5 


80.3 


89.9 


96.2 


78.9 


8 


56.9 


66.9 


79.3 


84.5 


91.2 


92.6 


78.7 


9 


55.4 


60.4 


81.3 


82.6 


88.8 


93.9 


74.6 


10 


43.3 


63.7 


74.8 


86.2 


91.5 


91.1 


71.4 


11 


45.6 


63.4 


82.5 


68.0 


89.2 


85.0 


72.3 


Average 


52.8 


63.8 


80.8 


82.6 


88.3 


92.3 


77.1 



Grades 4 to 8 Inclusive 



Grades 3 to 6 Inclusive 



Miscellaneous Grades 





4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


Total 


12 


77.7 


82.2 


78.6 


91.2 


92.3 


81.7 


13 


53.3 


70.8 


80.1 


88.6 


92.3 


75.2 


14 


77.2 


81.8 


80.8 


87.6 


93.6 


83.6 


15 


52.0 


72.0 


82.0 


92.0 


90.0 


74.0 


16 


57.7 


69,6 


84.6 


93.5 


93.7 


80.4 


17 


51.5 


68.8 


77.1 


89.4 


91.8 


75.4 


18 


67.0 


82.0 


82.0 


86.0 


92.0 


83.0 


19 


74.3 


80.4 


89.2 


91.2 


92.3 


83.9 


20 


46.8 


74.4 


83.1 


88.2 


92.2 


69.9 


21 


73.7 


77.5 


85.6 


86.7 


95.1 


82.9 


22 


57.3 


78.3 


79.6 


88.3 


91.3 


78.2 


23 


65.8 


83.0 


83.4 


91.6 


91.1 


80.7 


24 


50.5 


59.9 


72.2 


81.1 


89.8 


70.4 


25 


69.2 


84.3 


88 8 


90.6 


95.9 


85.2 


26 


77.5 


80.5 


90.6 


87.8 


94.2 


86.0 


Average 


63.8 


80.8 


82.6 


88.3 


92.3 


80.3 





3 


4 


5 


6 


Total 


27 


59.5 


72.9 


74.5 


82.6 


73.6 


28 


58.1 


81.9 


84.5 


93.9 


83.3 


29 


58.1 


65. 5 


85.0 


83.2 


72.2 


30 


32.8 


72.7 


80.6 


88.9 


68.8 


31 


31. a 


52.9 


77.8 


76.6 


64.8 


32 


35.7 


51.8 


72.6 


80.0 


61.7 


33 


38.4 


62.4 


68.9 


84.4 


63.5 


34 


48.5 


71.0 


77.2 


83.7 


69.6 


Average 


52.8 


63.8 


80.8 


82.6 


71.9 





3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


35 


45.7 


84.6 


86.0 




90.8 




36 






57.6 










37 






62.9 


75.3 


84.4 






38 


48 


6 


57.0 










39 


71 


2 


70.8 


76.6 








40 






60.2 


80.3 


80.4 






41 


20 


6 


53.0 


71.0 


85.0 


89.0 




42 








80.2 


80.6 


87.8 


92.8 


43 






67.7 


75.6 








44 












96.1 


92.8 


Average 


52.8 


63.8 


80.8 


82.6 


88.3 


92.3 



16 



SPELLING 



TABLE NO. G 

RECORD OF TEST ON THE " ONE HUNDRED DEMONS" GIVEN IN 
NINETEEN CITIES (FEBRUARY, 1915) 









Gr.vde 










No. of 






































3 


4 


5 


G 


7 


8 


Total 






1* 


52.8 


63.8 


80.8 


82.6 


88.3 


92.3 


77.1 




2 


[il.S 


75.4 


82.5 


87.6 


89. 5 


93.6 


79.6 






3 


«.6 


65.5 


79.4 


91.4 


94.4 


96.9 


79. G 






4 


11.8 


68.3 


81.6 


85.5 


90.8 


95.1 


74.5 






5 


16.3 


61. 3 


82.1 


88.0 


87.1 


91.2 


74.6 






G 


50.7 


66.9 


82.1 


85.1 


90.5 


94.1 


78.0 


States. 
Represented 




7 




77.2 


81.5 


84.4 


91.5 


94.6 


84.5 


Cities 


8 




86.2 


87.3 


87.8 


90.2 


95.3 


89.0 


Iowa 


...9 


9 




75.5 


80.0 


83.3 


89.8 


92.3 


82.5 


New York. . . . 


...3 


10 




64.2 


69.1 


80.5 


84.8 


90.1 


75.9 


Michigan 


. . .1 


11 




86.9 


87.1 


90.5 


94.6 


96.9 


91.5 


Indiana 


. ..1 


12 




67.8 


79.5 


85.9 


90.1 


92.7 


81.5 


Kansas 


...2 


13 




75.4 


75.6 


73.4 


86.7 


89.4 


78.3 


North Dakota 


. .1 


14 




71.5 


74.6 


90.1 


91.9 


91.4 


82.0 


South Dakota. 


. ..1 


15 




68. 4 


73.9 


85.2 


81.9 


89.0 


81.3 


New Jersey. . . 


...1 


16 




68.5 


85.0 


85.8 


87.5 


96.5 


82.7 






17 




59.6 


77.4 


85.3 


89.3 


92.4 


82.6 






18 




66.4 


79.5 


81.0 


82.3 


88.4 


79.6 






19 




73.0 


90.0 


86.3 


89.4 


89. G 


86.0 






Total t 


.1.2 


67.2 


80.3 


84.3 


89.1 


93.0 






Total avera 


ge for 


grades 3 to 8 


nclusive 




78.1 




Total avera 


ge for 


grades 4 to 8 


nelusive 




81.6 






Number 
















pupils [ ] 


,778 


4,359 4,334 


3,770 3,486 ! 


2,825 : 


J0,552 






tested ^ 

















High School Record 





1st Yr. 


2d Yr. 


3d Yr. 


4th Yr. 


Total 




1* 


91.2 


92.6 


93.9 


95.3 


92.8 




2* 


94.0 


95.8 


G6.4 


97.8 


95.6 


« 


3* 


96.1 


96.9 


97.1 


98.8 


96.8 




4 


93.2 


95.4 


94.5 


97.3 


94.7 




5 


92.4 


96.3 


96.6 


96.5 


94.8 


Five States 


6 

7 


95.0 
95.6 


97.1 
95.8 


95.8 
96.9 


99. 1 
97.8 


97.1 
96.1 


Represented 


8 


94.5 


96.4 


97.0 


97.5 


96.1 




Total 


94.0 


95.3 


96.0 


97.2 


95.3 


- 


Number 














pupils 


1481 


962 


810 


639 


3892 




tested 















*Des Moiaes Schools. 



THE ONE HUNDRED DEMONS" 



17 



REPORT ON THE " ONE HUNDRED DEMONS " 

By Forty-five Second Grade Teachers 

The number following each word indicates the number of teachers 
who voted in favor of teaching the word in the second grade. Seventy- 
nine of these words are among the 1000 commonest words in English 
writing. The thirty-eight words receiving more than twentj'-six 
votes, that is, the votes of sixty per cent or more of the forty-five 
teachers, are to be taught in the second grade. They will be found 
listed in the second grade outline on page 42. 



always 33 

among 26 

any 44 

again 34 

ache 1 

answer 9 

business 1 

been 40 

built 16 

busy 30 

believe 3 

beginning 6 

blue 43 

break 15 

buy 38 

can't 22 

country 11 

could 23 

color 10 

choose 5 

coming 33 

cough 3 

don't 22 

does 35 

done 34 

dear 41 

doctor 16 

every 35 

easy 24 

early 12 

enough 12 

friend 22 

February 8 



forty 17 

grammar 1 

guess 14 

hoarse 1 

half 20 

having 31 

hour 23 

heard 15 

here 38 

l.ear 36 

instead 3 

just 30 

i.new 30 

1 now 41 

laid 20 

lose 4 

loose 4 

many 30 

meant 2 

making 37 

minute 4 

much 37 

none 22 

often 24 

once 35 

piece 5 

ready 12 

raise 2 

read 30 

straight 4 

sugar 14 

shoes 16 

said 36 



says 27 

sure 21 

since 9 

some 39 

seems 30 

separate 1 

their 25 

there . 35 

Tuesday 9 

two 40 

too 32 

trouble 2 

tear 19 

tired 15 

though 6 

through 6 

they 39 

tonight 17 

truly 6 

used 12 

very 40 

which 29 

where 32 

women 4 

write 37 

writing 17 

would 25 

Wednesday 9 

wear 15 

v.-eek 39 

whether 2 

whole 14 

won't 14 

wrote 32 



This little record shows what always happens when a long list of 
words is furnished and teachers are requested to " teach the ones which 
seem most practical." There is not one word which some teacher 



18 SPELLING 

would not teach in the second grade, even such words as grammar, 
separate, hoarse, etc. This is further evidence that mere personal 
opinion cannot successfully select words. 

The '' Demons " were discovered by Dr. Jones, who conducted 
his investigation as follows: He collected the original compositions 
written by 1050 children in grades two to eight, inclusive, in four 
states. He examined more than 75,000 themes, which averaged a little 
less than 190 words each. The total number of words in these themes, 
counting the repetitions of each word, was about 15,000,000, but the 
total number of different words was only 4532. These words were 
arranged into graded lists bj^ assigning each word to the lowest grade 
in which at least two per cent of the pupils used it. 

Some Significant Results of the Investigation 

Of the 4532 different words used in all grades, the number used 
by two per cent of the pupils in the respective grades was as follows 

Second grade 1927 

Third grade — new words added to second grade list .... 469 

Fourth grade — new words added to previous lists 442 

Fifth grade — new words added to previous lists 432 

Sixth grade — new words added to previous lists 425 

Seventh grade — new words added to previous lists 419 

Eighth grade — nev/ words added to previous lists 418 

Total 4532 

Dr. Jones says, " The number of words listed per student ranged 
from 421 for the most meager vocabulary of the student in the second 
grade to 2812 for the largest vocabulary of the eighth grade students. 
The largest vocabulaiy of the second grade students was 924, and the 
smallest vocabulary of the eighth grade students was 1409. The 
average number of different words in the writing vocabularies of the 
students, grade by grade, was as follows: 

Average Vocabularies by Grades 

Grade Number of Words 

2 521 

3 908 

4 1235 

5 1489 

6 1710 

7 1926 

8 2135 



THE "one hundred DEMONS" 19 

" There were no significant variations in the number of words 
from the students of the various states." 

With reference to the number of words misspelled by pupils, he 
says, " Practically every word in the list of 4532 was mispelled by 
some one or more students, yet the highest number of words misspelled 
by any one student was 87, the smallest number 18. The average 
number of words misspelled by the 1050 students was 48." Regard- 
ing the very simple w^ords that are misspelled, he adds: " Indeed, the 
very words that give most trouble in spelling are almost invariably 
found in the writing vocabularies of second and third grade pupils, 
and they faithfully reappear throughout subsequent grades. Over 
nine-tenths of all words misspelled by the 1050 grade students are 
found in these two Hsts." 

While this investigation could have been made much more valuable 
if the frequencies in the use and misspelling of each word had been 
shown, it does, however, help to dispel some of the traditional notions 
regarding the character and amount of spelling material to be em- 
phasized in the elementary school. Perhaps the most important 
facts revealed are that time is wasted in attempting to teach pupils 
all of the words found in spelling books which contain from eight to 
fifteen thousand, and that in the teaching of spelling our chief con- 
cern should be in writing, not reading vocabularies. 

These conclusions seem reasonable when we consider the fact that 
1050 children used only 4532 different words in writing 75,000 themes, 
and that the largest single vocabulary was 2812 words. Further 
support is furnished by the investigations of the Rev. J. Knowles, of 
London, in 1904; ]Mr. R. C. Eldridge, of Niagara Falls, in 1911; 
Dr. Leonard Ayres, of the Russell Sage Foundation, in 1913; Messrs. 
W. A. Cook and M. V. O'Shea in 1914; and finally by a consolida- 
tion of all of these studies by Df. Ayres in 1915. (For a description 
of the last named see page 34.) i 

Knowles found by " Taking passages from the English Bible and 
from various authors, containing 100,000 words, a list of 353 words 
which occurred most frequently, and the number of times each 
occurred," Eldridge analyzed the vocabularies of 250 different articles 
which appeared in four issues of the Sunday papers of Buffalo and found 
that they contained an aggregate of 43,989 words, counting all repeti- 
tions, but only 6003 different words. Ayres tabulated an aggregate 
of 23,629 words from 2000 letters written by 2000 people and found 
only 2001 different words. Cook and O'Shea studied the family corre- 
spondence of thirteen adults containing 200,000 words and found the 
vocabulary to consist of 5200 different words. In 1915 Ayres combined 
all of these investigations in an effort to determine the 1000 common- 
est words in English writing. 

If 1050 pupils use but 4532 different words in writing 75,000 themes 



20 SPELLING 

containing 15,000,000 running words, and if approximately 2500 
adults use a vocabulary limited to about 6000 different words in 
writing newspaper articles and correspondence containing over 300,000 
running words, it seems unreasonable to expect pupils to learn the 
meaning and spelling of many thousands of words arbitrarily selected. 
All of these facts strongly suggest that pupils may be careless in the 
spelling of simple w^ords because they have been required to spread 
their energies more or less equally over thousands of words without 
having their attention turned particularly and with frequent repeti- 
tions to the words most necessary in English writing. 

The scientific studies mentioned above, together with others made 
during recent years, give us convincing evidence that personal opinion 
cannot successfully select, grade and limit the number of words to 
be taught. 

The records of the test on the " One Hundred Demons " shown 
in the preceding tables certainly substantiate the fact that proper 
attention has not been given to some of the very simple but necessary 
words. 

INTERESTING FACTS 

(The author gives these facts, realizing that the word " grammar " 
and perhaps two or three others should not be taught until the fifth 
or sixth grade.) 

With one exception all of the words w^ere found in the writing 
vocabularies of fourth gi'ade pupils. 

Among the 6249 pupils in grades four to eight, inclusive, 2648, 
or forty-one per cent, misspelled twenty or more words. 

Among 2362 high school pupils, sixty-two, or three per cent, mis- 
spelled twenty or more words. 

Three Juniors and one Senior misspelled twenty-five or more. 

1171 fourth grade pupils (79%) misspelled more than 20 words. 

50 
20 
50 
20 
50 
20 
50 
20 

Eighteen other cities made about the same record. 

In the light of these facts it certainly is not advisable, for the 
present at least and probably never, to use time in an effort to teach 



331 " 






(22%) 


856 fifth 






(54%) 


94 " 






( 6%) 


395 sixth 






(33%) 


20 " 






( 2%) 


153 seventh 






(14%) 


2 " 






(.2%) 


73 eighth 






( 8%) 



FUTILITY OF THE SPELLING GRIND 



21 



children in the respective grades the spelling of such words as the fol- 
lowing, selected from the spelling book in use: 



Fourth 


Fifth 


Sixth 


Seventh 


Eighth 


Grade 


Grade 


Grade 


Gr.ade 


Grade 


sighing" 


salubrious 


potential 


rendezvous 


phthisicky 


cherub 


infectious 


ptarmigan 


chapeau 


magisterial 


hyena 


concertina 


scullion 


ancestral 


ichthyology 


barbarous 


ludicrous 


avaricious 


intercessor 


convalesce 


luscious 


spectral 


predecessor 


obeisance 


abstemious 


damask 


plenteous 


bituminous 


dulcimer 


calligraphy 


verdure 


intrigue 


apologetic 


antithesis 


demoniacal 


cyhnder 


calumet 


dissyllable 


diaeresis 


saccharin 



THE FUTILITY OF SOME OF THE SPELLING GRIND 

(Further evidence that simple and necessary words are neglected.) 



(Attempting to learn these, 



spectacle 

halo 

legacy 

gossamer 

sluice 

luiid 

l^uoyant 

linear 

aggrieve 

superlative 

romantic 

obstinate 



while misspelling these.) 




Fig. 1 



At the close of the third month of school a certain teacher had 
given her pupils four hundred different words in forty lessons. 
Below are twenty-five words selected at random from among these 
four hundred. They were pronounced to the pupils after the follow- 
ing diiections had been given: 

1. " Number each word." 

2. " Use each word in a sentence." 

3. " If you are sure that you do not know its meaning, spell it." 

4. ''If you are sure that you do not know how to spell the word, 
leave the space blank." 



22 



SPELLING 



h 



1. demon 

2. spectacle 

3. halo 

4. studio 

5. fugitive 

6. eddy 

7. legacy 

8. prophecy 

9. decoy 



10. medley 

11. association 

12. attorney 

13. gossamer 

14. sluice 

15. lurid 

16. juniper 

17. buoyant 



18. linear 

19. aggrieve 

20. declension 

21. antecedent 

22. superlative 

23. romantic 

24. patriot 

25. obstinate 



One boj' in the sixth grade made this record. He was regular in 
attendance, and is normal physically, mentally, and in age for his 
grade. 

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 



9. 



demond 10. 

The man has spectle 11. 
hallo 12. 

studio 13. 

fewgetive 14. 

15. 

16. 

prov — 17. 

decoy 



med 18. 

The teachers assea 19. agrieve 

aterny 20. 

21. 

22. 
lurid 23. romanic 

24. apatrio 
boyount 25. 



He could not spell twenty -two of the words. 

He could not use any. 

A short time after the above test had been given the *' One Hundred 
Demons " were pronounced to the same class. All of these words are 
in the writing vocabulary of every sixth grade pupil. The boy repre- 
sented above made the record shown on the next page. 





RECORD ON THE 'DEMONS" 




Record Made by a Sixth Grade Boy on the "Demons." 


Words, 
ronounced. 


Boy's Record 


Words 
Pronounced. 


Boy's Record 


always 


allways 


many 




among 




meant 




any 




making 




again 




minute 




ache 


ack 


much 




answer 




none 


noun 


business 


buisness 


once 


wanst 


been 




often 


offen 


built 


buildt 


piece 


pease 


busy 




ready 




believe 


beleive 


raise 


rase 


beginning 


begining 


read 




blue 




straight 


strata 


break 


brake 


sugar 




buy 




shoes 


shose 


can't 


cann't 


said 




could 


counld 


says 


si 


country 




sure 


shur 


color 




since 


senese 


choose 




some 




coming 




seems 




cough 




separate 


spert 


don't 


donen't 


their 


thier 


done 




there 




does 


dose 


Tuesday 




dear 




two 




doctor 


Doctor 


too 




every 




trouble 




easy 


esy 


tear 




early 




tired 




enough 




though 




friend 




through 




February 


Feburary 


they 




forty 




tonight 




grammar 


grammer 


truly 
used 




guess 


gess 




hoarse 


herse 


very 




half 


halfe 


which 


whitch 


having 




where 




hour 




women 


wemen 


heard 




write 




here 


heir 


writing 


writ ting 


hear 




would 




instead 




Wednesday 




just 
knew 


knw 


wear 
whether 




know 


now 


whole 


hole 


laid 




won't 




lose 


los 


wrote 




loose 


lose 


week 





23 



24 



SPELLING 



While the record shown above is rather extreme, it is by no means 
unusual. Notice the following table which shows the records made 
on the same test by two different classes. 

Record on the " Demons/' and Twenty-five Words Selected from the 
Spelling Book in Use 

TABLE NO. S 



Fourth Grade 


Fifth Grade 




Misspelled 


Could 




Misspelled 


Could 








Not Use 






Not Use 


No. of 








No. of 
Pupil 






Pupil 
















Of the 


Of the 


Of the 




Of the 


Of the 


Of the 




100 


2o Words 


2o Words 




100 


25 Words 


25 Word3 




Demons 


Taught 


Taught 




Demons 


Taught 


Taught 


1 


38 


24 


23 


1 


3 


4 


16 


2 


29 


17 


23 


2 


12 


16 


22 


3 


31 


16 


25 


3 


18 


11 


20 


4 


34 


19 


25 


4 


20 


13 


24 


5 


57 


21 


24 


5 


20 


15 


23 


6 


37 


19 


23 


6 


. 33 


24 


24 


7 


41 


22 


21 


7 


39 


19 


24 


8 


45 


19 


24 1 


8 


30 


13 


25 


9 


42 


18 


20 1 


9 


37 


16 


25 


10 


44 


18 


17 


10 


24 22 


25 


11 


45 


19 


21 


11 


31 


16 


2"' 


12 


4-3 


12 


19 


12 


39 


21 


25 


lo 


48 


17 


10 


13 


25 


21 


25 


14 


50 


19 


22 


14 


20 


13 


25 


15 


50 


24 


23 


15 


36 


21 


23 


16 


50 


19 


. .> 


16 


44 


24 


23 


17 


49 


oo 


25 


17 


25 


14 


24 


IS 


51 


22 


25 


18 


21 


12 


21 


19 


52 


22 


24 1 


19 


31 


21 


22 


20 


53 


24 


' o 1 


20 


40 


22 


25 


21 


30 


16 


17 


21 


35 


17 


20 


22 


55 


!.2 


23 


•->2 


25 


IS 


23 


23 


30 


21 


24 


23 


28 


20 


24 


24 


28 


18 


23 


24 


38 


15 


24 


25 


26 


6 


23 


25 


40 


22 


25 


26 


28 


IS 


23 


26 


49 


23 


23 


27 


25 


20 


24 


27 


51 


21 


22 


28 


22 


13 


17 


28 


29 


13 


25 


29 


21 


14 


19 


29 


17 


10 


25 


30 


21 


IS 


23 


30 


21 


17 


25 


31 


20 


13 


23 


31 


55 


23 . 


25 


32 


17 


10 


17 


32 


34 


17 


25 


33 


17 


15 


24 










34 


54 


23 


23 










35 


59 


22 


23 










36 


60 


22 


24 










37 


59 


25 


23 










38 


61 


25 


25 










39 


74 


23 


25 










Med. 


45 


19 


23 


Med. 


30 


17 


24 



THE BUCKIJ^GHAM TESTS 



25 



THE TWENTY-FIVE WORDS USED IN THE FOURTH GRADE 



autumn 

century 

vineyard 

compass 

quake 



singular 

leisure 

whinny 

awning 

echo 



scuttle 

gingham 

somber 

despair 

arid 



endure 

errand 

listen 

furry 

glisten 



beacon 

merely 

intemperate 

accurate 

mimic 



THE BUCKINGHAM TESTS 

(Given April, 1915) 

The words used in this test were selected from a partially standard- 
ized series of spelling tests worked out by Dr. B. H. Buckingham, 
Chief Statistician cf the Department of Education of the City of 
New York. I he tests have been given in many cities in the United 
States- under the same conditions as those indicated below. 

Nature of the Tests 

There are three tests in this series. Test No. 1 is composed of 
fifty words which most of the pupils in the third and fourth grades 
should be able to spell correct l5^ Test No. 2 is composed of fifty 
words which most pupils in the fifth and sixth grades should be able 
to spell correctly. Test No. 3 is composed of fifty words which most 
pupils in the seventh and eighth grades should be able to spell cor- 
rectly. 

The Directions for Giving the Tests 

1. The fifty words for each grade are combined into sentences as 
given in dictations I, II, and III, which follow. 

2. The teacher should dictate each of the sentences to all the 
pupils in the grade. Have each pupil write each sentence, spelling 
as many words as he can. 

3. Each sentence should be dictated, either in whole or in part, 
as many times as may seem necessary to secure its complete under- 
standing. The exercise is purely a test in spelling to see how this 
grade compares with other grades in this and other cities. It is not 
intended that pupils should be subjected to the added difficulty of an 
effort to recall the words dictated. 

4. Do not drill upon these sentences or words in the sentences 
before finishing the dictation. Offer no explanation of words or 
sentences. If the meaning is not clear, repeat the sentence as a whole 
or in part. 

5. After the pupils have written a sentence read it again and allow 
them to insert words or make corrections. 

6. Do not ask the pupils to underline words or otherwise call their 
attention to the significant words of the sentences. 



26 SPELLING 

7. In correcting the papers, score as wrong any variation in spell- 
ing from the dictated form, however slight. Fut a circle around each 
misspelled word to aid in counting errors. 

8. Carefully estimate the number of times each word was tried, 
and the number of times it was spelled correctly, by the pupils in 
each grade represented in your room. Do not separate classes. 

9. Send the papers and records to the principal. The principal 
should make up a consolidated record by his building on the form 
supplied and send the same to the main office not later than May 8th. 

THE WORDS AND SENTENCES 

Spelling Test No. I 
(For Third and Fourth Grades) 

1. The doctor made much money. There was a water basin in his 
large office. 

2. We buy coffee, sugar, and jncct at the store. 

3. The monkey ate a peach, an crange and some corn. 

4. Birds come to the iron fence near the garden at supper time. 

5. I was once afraid of the thunder and noise. 

6. I found I could read letters. 

7. She has written a story this week. 

8. In crithmeiic we subtract. Many of us are wrong and none right. 

9. I laid the soap in the window near the board. I put the pencil 
in my pocket. 

10. The bridge is already full of hclcs. 

Spelling Test No. II 
(For Fifth and Sixth Grades) 

1. I found a handkerchief in the parlor, Wednesday, February first. 

2. I had a chance to buy a banana for a nickel from the brave old 
captain. 

3. According to the story the bicycle caught up with the sleigh before 
one o'clock. 

4. When he was nineteen he was so hoarse that his voice was a 
whisper. 

5. The pistol and scissors are excellent but cheap. 

6. Nobody knew in what manner the dessert was made. 

7. The umbrella I decided to accept already has many holes. 

8. We heard the cough of the elephant from the engine. 

9. If your ankle aches ycu can get medicine at little expense from the 
store on the avenue. 

10. We can get a cabbage and a tomcto apiece from out fertile fields. 



THE BUCKINGHAM TESTS 27 

Test No. Ill 
(For Seventh and Eighth Grades) 

1. The mosquito is guilty of carrying contagious disease. 

2. The consequences of ignorance and error are disaster. 

3. It is impossible to prepare the difficult lesson in grammar. 

4. The attorney for the innocent man recommended that he be granted 
a license. 

5. The address by the principal was extraordinary. 

Q. The emperor Uves in a palace. He is an independent sovereign. 

7. The colonel, the lieutenant, the secretary and the chauffeur de- 
clared the physician was a villain. 

8. The committee apologized for the occurrence in the ancient ceme- 
tery. 

9. The c/io*> sang a favorite hymn at the marriage. 

10. In my judgment we should separate the millinery shop from the 
stationery store. 

11. Let us proceed with our journey. 

12. I shall explain the difference to my associates at the first con- 
venient opportunity. 



28 



SPELLING 



TABLE NO. 7 

CITY RECORD OF BUCKINGHAM TEST ON 50 WORDS 

(APRIL, 1915) 

Grades 3 to 8 Inclusive 



No. of School 


3 


4 


5 


6 


7 


8 


T0T.\L 


10 


69.3 


84.0 


72.1 


78.4 


62.1 


66.1 


72.0 


9 


71.0 


84.0 


75.0 


85.1 


61.8 


74.6 


75.3 


7 


87. 4 


83.7 


74.2 


75.5 


71.0 


75.4 


77.9 


12 


69 . 7 


84.7 


79.3 


71.5 


67.2 


71.5 


73.9 


13 


01. C 


74.2 


71.4 


76.0 


58.4 


67.5 


68.1 


14 


78. 


92.8 


74.7 


93.7 


68.8 


78.8 


81.1 


1.5 


44.4 


75.4 


49.2 


73.0 


68.0 


67.0 


02.8 


16 


02.0 


80.9 


04.4 


78.0 


70.0 


79.1 


72.4 


17 


00.6 


67.6 


03.8 


74.0 


59.8 


67.7 


65.5 


18 


72.0 


85.4 


82.8 


83.9 


63.4 


79.3 


77.8 


21 


73.8 


88.1 


78.6 


84.0 


73.7 


82.5 


80.2 


20 


50. 5 


71.1 


61.0 


80.6 


09.3 


71.2 


68.3 


19 


08.4 


82.7 


06.9 


84.3 


53 . 5 


70.4 


71.0 


22 


01.3 


86.8 


71.1 


80.1 


06.5 


78.0 


73.9 


6 


53.0 


60.8 


53.0 


09.6 


61.0 


59.1 


60.4 


8 


68.3 


82.2 


74.4 


83.7 


55.3 


75.3 


73.2 


23 


70.1 


80.4 


85.5 


88.5 


65.6 


71.2 


77.8 


24 


55.0 


80.4 


67.0 


68.0 


54.6 


76.6 


67.0 


1 


79.0 


80.0 


77.8 


84.5 


03.3 


81.1 


78.6 


2 


62.4 


84.0 


74.7 


77.3 


55.1 


60 . 4 


09.9 





07.7 


79.5 


65.0 


90.8 


63.7 


80.0 


74.4 


2C 


68.3 


89.7 


77.5 


78.3 


72.7 


79.8 


77.7 


2.5 


63.9 


88.1 


78.0 


85.4 


64.7 


78.5 


70.4 


3 


60.7 


81.9 


06.2 


78.7 


60.3 


63.5 


68 . 5 


4 


06.7 


80.8 


64.3 


75.8 


61.2 


73.0 


70.3 


Average 


03.3 


82.8 


71.7 


80.4 


63.5 


73.2 


72.4 



Grades 3 to 6 Inclusive 





3 


4 


5 


6 


TOT.\L 


27 


77.7 


81.5 


73.5 


85.2 


79.4 


28 


02.3 


92.5 


77.7 


90.6 


fO.7 


37 


51.8 


82.2 


68.6 


74.5 


69.2 


29 


57.2 


85.3 


72.6 


78.2 


73.3 


39 


59.7 


82.5 


64.1 


76.7 


70.7 


40 


23.6 


84.9 


80.6 


87.1 


69.0 


30 


67.8 


85.5 


79.3 


84.3 


79.2 


31 


59.3 


79.4 


71.2 


79.7 


72.4 


32 


72.9 


77.4 


82.0 


72.4 


76 . 1 


33 


88.3 


88.3 


68.9 


76.2 


80.4 


34 


73.1 


88.9 


71.6 


85.4 


79.7 


Average 


03.3 


82.8 


71.7 


80.4 


74.3 



j\IlSCELL.\NEOUS Gr.UJES 





3 


4 


5 





7 


8 


35 


82. 4 


89.4 


83.0 


92.1 


79.0 




36 


74.3 


84.8 










44 










01.1 


72.4 


38 


71.1 


83.4 










41 


49.2 


72.2 


68.6 


72.5 


53.1 




42 






09.0 


82.1 


58.7 


70.9 


43 


77.9 


90.0 


09.3 








Average 


63.3 


82.8 


71.7 


80.4 


03.5 


73.2 



Results in 15 Cities 



GRADES 



3 


4 


5 





7 


8 




54.5 


77.5 


63.8 


75.9 


57.7 


70.1 


06.2 



THE BUCKINGHAM TESTS 



29 



Figure No. 2 
SHOWING RESULTS OF THREE SPELLING TESTS 
THE AYRES TEST GIVEN NOV, 1914 





100 








90 








80 






a 
o 

u 


70 
CO 
50 




OtherCitics ^^-' ~-~--^__ _ — — — ^^^ 




_^-<=^ Des Moines 




40 










2 


3 4 5 6 7 8 
Grades 



THE ONE HUNDRED DEMONS FEB. 1915 



» I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 




100 

90 

80 

10 

fl 60 

o 

U 50 

I 40 

30 

20 

10 

LJ 



THE BUCKINGHAM TEST APRIL 1915 



, I I Other Cities 
9^H| Des M.oines 




Grades 



30 SPELLING 



METHOD 



Many different- and rather distinct methods of teaching spelling 
have been used by teachers, but it cannot be said that any one method 
is absolutely the best.* In fact, some investigators declare that the 
amount of time and the particular method used have comparatively 
little to do with the results; that the teacher's ability to make the 
pupils realize the great importance of correct spelling and her per- 
sistence in developing a " spelling consciousness that will make the 
pupil more awake to orthographical errors, and a conscience that 
will not permit him to leave a word until he is sure that it is correct," 
have a much larger influence. 

The statements in the paragraph above should not lead to the 
conclusion that any method is a good one as long as the teacher ardently 
seeks to develop '' a spelling consciousness." The desirability of 
becoming a good speller might be emphasized repeatedly during morn- 
ing talks and at other times, but if the pupils are not taught how 
to study spelling and from the beginning are allowed to prepare in 
their own crude ways their spelling lessons either in school or at 
home, it is certain that the necessary ability will not be developed. 

Pupils must be taught hoiv to study spelling. They must be 
trained into self-helpfulness. Any first gTade teacher realizes the 
futility of allowing pupils to " study " their spelling lessons alone. 
But the evils of this method are by no means confined to the first grade. 
They continue in varying degrees throughout all subsequent grades 
and the frequent misspellings of older children, and even adults, 
result very largely from a failure to carefully scrutinize the con- 
stituent elements of new words, and to work out associations of various 
sorts that will help to impress accurate images. The excellent state- 
ment of John Ruskin emphasizes this fact. He writes, " I tell you 
earnestly, you must get into the habit of looking intensely at words, 
assuring yourself of their meaning, syllable by syllable, nay 'etter by 
letter. Let the accent of words be watched, and closely; let their 
meaning be watched more closely still." 

The writer once noticed a group of third grade pupils studying 
their spelling lesson by writing each word a certain number of times. 
He asked the following questions and received the answers indicated. 
" How do you children study spelling? " Children, " We write each 
word ten times." " If you know how to spell one of the words in the 
lesson, do you write it ten times also? " Children, " Yes." " Then 
you study just as much on easy words as you do on hard ones? " 
Children, "Yes." 

This is clearly a case where the children had not learned to weigh 
values and were not studjang intelligently. They were doubtless 
* This was written before the publication of the Aldine Speller. 



A GOOD METHOD 31 

writing the words mechanically, not thoughtfully. The situation 
reminds one of the boy whose teacher required him to write the 
expression, " I have gone," on the blackboard 500 times. After writ- 
ing it 300 times he noticed that his teacher had gone home. He 
decided to leave also and wrote the following parting message: " I 
have went." 

A GOOD METHOD * 

(Experimentation Proves This Method Superior to One "Where 
Children Study Independently) 

1. Write one of the words on the blackboard and teach it in accord- 
ance with the following plan. Then write the next word, teaching it 
in Lhe same way, and so on with the rest of the words. 

(a) "While writing the word, 'pronounce it distinctly. 
(6) Develop the meaning orally by using the word in a sentence 
and by defining it. 

(c) Divide the word into syllables. Call on pupils to spell orally by 
syllables. Have the word spelled in concert, and individually by poor 
spellers. 

(d) Have pupils indicate the parts of the word that present dif- 
ficulties, or whether the word contains parts they already know. 
Teacher should also call attention to peculiarities, such as silent letters, 
ei and ie combinations, etc. 

(e) Have pupils write the word once, twice, or three times, 
pronouncing it softly or spelling silently as they write it. It would 
be well to have them use the word in a new sentence before they do 
this. This is done to emphasize strongly the meaning of the word 
just before W'riting it. 

(/) Allow the class a moment in which to look at the word and 
then have them close their eyes and try to visualize it, or use any other 
device of a similar nature. 

2, After the various words of the day's lesson have been studied 
in this way, allow a few minutes for studying the whole lesson, sug- 
gesting that each pupil emphasize the words he thinks he doesn't 
know. This time should be limited so that each pupil will study 
vigorously and attentively. 

(a) Next have the whole column reviewed orally. This may be 
done either by the class as a whole or by individual pupils or by both. 
If the first, have the pupils first spell each word from the board and 
then, turning from the board, spell it again silently. Then let them 
verify results by consulting the board. If the other methods are used, 
have pupils work on the words that are most difficult for them. 

* Taken from the experiment mentioned on page 5. 



32 



SPELLING 



REVIEWS 



There is probably nothing which contributes more to spelling 
ability than systematic reviews. Texts and teachers always provide 
reviews, some of which are open to criticism. While pupils should 
be taught to weigh values and to give more attention to the study 
of difficult words than they do to easier ones, it is a mistake for a 
text or teacher to neglect frequent reviews of the inost necessary 
words. IS'aturallj^ extra emphasis should be given to the most dif- 
ficult of the necessary words. 

It is quite customary to require pupils to review words misspelled 
in the regular daily spelling lesson, while a review of the words spelled 
correctly is seldom required. The partial futility of this procedure 
is shown in the following record made by an eighth grade girl in an 
experiment tried during the past year. This is an exceptional case, 
but differs from hundreds of others only in degree, not in kind. 

The following thirtj'-two words which the pupils had not studied 
were pronounced to the class on IMarch 1st. The girl misspelled 
twenty-one cf them: 



engineer 
proceeded 
crevasse 
levee 


colonel 
persistence 
sagacious 
resistance 


equipped 
discipline 
admirable 
serenade 


surgeon 

Cincinnati 

martyr 

session 


hostile 
fertile 
capa ble 
counselor 


accepted 

except 

detestable 


opponent 

lieutenant 

garrison 


admiral 
capacious 


discussion 
counterfeit 


preceded 
austere 



On March 2d, 3d, 4th and 5th, columns 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, 
W'Cre taught according to the method given on page 31 At the 
close of the period on each day the pupils were asked to write from 
dictation the eight words in the column. The papers were then col- 
lected and checked by the teacher. This girl made a perfect record 
each of the four days. After INIarch 5th nothing more was said 
about the words until IVIarch 25th, when the teacher dictated all thirty- 
two again. This time the girl misspelled twenty-three words. She 
had been in regular attendance from the beginning of the experiment. 

These results certainly indicate the necessity of providing reviews 
of words which pupils spell correctly each day, as well as those which 
are misspelled. If the teacher cf this class had, in the customary 
way, required the pupils to review only the misspellings cf each day 
this girl would have escaped entirely, whereas after twentj'' daj^s had 
elapsed since the study of the words, she showed her utter lack of ability 
to retain the correct spelling of more than half of them. 

Numerous records of this sort point to the fact that it is a compara- 
tively easy task for any pupil with even ordinary intelligence to mem- 



PERTINENT QUESTIONS TO THE TEACHER OF SPELLING 33 

orize the order of letters in a short list of words and spell all of them 
correctly a few minutes later. But since the purpose of the teaching 
of spelling is to enable pupils to come into permanent possession of 
the proper spelling and use of words, the problem becomes more 
complex and calls for a series of systematic repetitions, which occur 
weekly, monthly and yearly. These repetitions should include all 
words with more frequent reviews of the most necessary and difficult 
ones. 



PERTINENT QUESTIONS TO THE TEACHER OF SPELLING 

1. Are you in any persistent and systematic way following up the 
words taught by investigations of various kinds to test the ability 
of the pupils to spell these words? This question might be analyzed 
and stated more specifically, as: (a) How many different words have 
you taught this semester? (b) Do you have the words already taught 
checked or listed so that you can make use of any or all of them at 
any time? (c) Do you ever give the pupils a test including all or a 
random selection of the words taught up to date? (d) How do you 
use the result of this test in order that the pupils may derive the most 
possible benefit? (e) Is the nature of the test such as to prove the 
pupils' knowledge of the meaning of the words as well as their ability 
to remember the order of the letters merely? 

2. In dictating words, whether daily, weekly or monthly, to what 
extent do you require their use in sentences? 

3. Do you agree that the real and final test of ability to spell is 
found in spontaneous written composition? If so, to what extent do you 
use this test systematically? In other words, how many of the words 
taught are the pupils using intelligently in their original composi- 
tions, when the expression of thought is uppermost in their minds? 
Can you devise some means of applying such a test without consum- 
ing an undue amount of time and energy? Would it be practicable 
for the teacher or pupils to keep an alphabetic list of all words taught 
for the purpose of checking up all of the misspelled words in a set of 
compositions occasionally? If this idea, or some modification of it, 
could be employed to test the use of all words taught, would it not 
show (a) the words not used at all, and (6) the words accurately and 
intelUgently used? 

4. Do you quite frequently inspect the personal lists of the pupils 
to ascertain whether or not they are actually being used? Do you 
ever compare the personal lists of individual pupils with their composi- 
tions for the purpose of learning (a) has the pupil studied his list? 
(b) how many words accurately used in the composition and included 
in the list? (c) how many inaccurately used and in the list? (d) to 



34 SPELLING 

what extent is the pupil recording misspelled words? Would not a 
custom of this kind be very helpful, especially with poor spellers? 

5. Is most of the time spent on this subject used for teaching or 
testing? Do the pupils feel that it is a time for thought or for drill? 

MINIMUM LISTS FOR THE GRADES 

Material 

The ordinary spelling book contains from eight to fifteen thou- 
sand words and has been " desk made," that is, the amount of mate- 
rial, its selection and arrangement have been very largely a matter 
of personal opinion. It is, therefore, thought advisable to present 
at this time a minimum Ust for each grade. It is probable that 
future experience will demonstrate the need of some changes in the 
grading of the words as now submitted. Included in the lists will 
be found the 1000 commonest words in English waiting as selected 
by Dr. Leonard P. Ajres in 1915, when he combined the results of the 
four investigations described on page 19. In doing this he analyzed 
about 360,000 words written by approximately 2500 different persons. 
He was able to determine the relative frequency in the use of each 
word and in this way discovered the 1000 commonest words. 

Regarding this list Dr. Ayres says, " At first the purpose was to 
identify the 2000 most commonly used words, but this project was 
abandoned because it was soon found to be impossible of realization. 
It is easily possible to identify the ten commonest words in written 
EngUsh. These are probably the, and, of, to, I, as, in, that, you, for. 
With their repetitions thej^ constitute more than one-fourth of all the 
words we write. Save for the personal pronouns, they are essential 
in writing about any subject, whatever its nature, from Aaron through 
zynthum. It is likewise possible to identify the fifty commonest words, 
for, like the ten, they are true construction words and necessary, 
no matter what the nature of the subject under consideration. With 
progressively decreasing reliability the list may be extended to include 
the 500 commonest words and possibly the 1000 commonest, but 
not the 2000 commonest, for long before this point is reached the 
identity of the frequently used words varies according to the subject 
under consideration. For this reason it was decided to limit the foun- 
dation vocabulary to 1000 words, which constitute, with their repe- 
titions, more than nine-tenths of all the words we write." 

The teaching of the listed words and the suggested re\4ews will 
probably not require the use of more than half the time devoted to 
spelling. Teachers should use the remainder of the time for the pur- 
pose of teaching other suitable words selected from the spelling book, 
class and personal lists. 



MINIMUM LISTS FOR THE GRADES 35 

1 

Class lists should be prepared by the teacher and should include 
words commonly misspelled in the written work of the pupils. The 
personal list is prepared by the pupil himself. Each pupil in grades 
three to eight, inclusive, should be required to place in a Hst all 
words taken from two sources: (a) Words misspelled by the pupil 
in any regular written work; (6) words which the pupil wants to 
use, but must refer to the dictionary to ascertain their correct 
spelling. It is well to have this list made in a small book used for 
no other purpose. The booklet might be given the title, " Words in 
My Vocabulary Which I Misspell." No other words should be placed 
in this book. It should not include misspelled words taken from 
the regular speUing li ts. The idea of the personal hst is to have 
each pupi constantly gathering together and studying the " weak 
spots " in his own writing vocabulary. The words should be arranged 
alphabetically in the third grade. This will furnish preparation for 
the use of the dictionary in the fourth grade. 

The second important step in the use of personal lists is to provide 
opportunity from time to time, say every two or three weeks, for the 
children to be tested on their words. This can be done by having 
children in opposite seats pronounce the words to each other. The 
teacher can then collect and check the papers or this can be done by 
the children themselves. 

The personal list is perhaps the best way to recognize individual 
differences among pupils. A pupil is entitled to the opportunity to 
learn to spell the words which he already knows how to use. We 
cannot rely entirely upon mass instruction to accomplish this end. 
The proper preparation of these lists will require some supervision by 
the teacher. Some children will neglect to make the list. When 
reminded of their negligence they are liable to record many words 
which should not be listed. These are exceptional cases, however and 
simply require a little attent on from the teacher. Another matter 
of importance is to see that pupils spell the words correctly as they 
record them. Frequent mention of this by the teacher and the exam- 
ination at intervals of the lists of exceptionally careless pupils will 
obviate many difficulties. 

One pupil in the sixth grade made this personal list during the 
year 1914-1915. It is interesting to note that very few of these words 
are included in the sixth grade list in the spelling book. This shows 
the futility of depending entirely upon any one list to meet all of the 
needs of every pupil. 



tiger 


Greek 


insane 


quotation 


mineral 


vegetables 


prevent 


Wales 


correcting 


tobacco 


giant 


kingdom 


Christians 


supplying 


exports 


basin 


realm 


sixteen 


series 


leather 


receive 


executed 


bade 


paragraph 


always 



36 




SPELLING 






possible 


Latin 


■ England 


vivid 


products 


nickel 


accident 


artist 


recognize 


copper 


pistol 


cakes 


relief 


selection 


concerned 


medicine 


general 


tightly 


chapter 


sympathy 


dragged 


harp 


period 


bridge 


agent 


amuse 


situated 


thickness 


capital 


walnut 


dwellers 


visions 


heavier 


comparisons 


insurance 


rope 


fiercely 


Florida 


tread 


tallest 


imagined 


enemies 


gravel 


example 


sailors 


fancied 


spoil 


layers 


jewels 


block 


forge 


hundred 


manual 


trolley 


language 


pincers 


district 


memorizing 


permission 


supplement 


elder 


loaned 


poetrj'- 


spaces 


sponge 


struggle 


value 


memory 


college 


scissors 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS 

First Grade 

The following list of words is presented as a minimum requirement 
for the first grade. The words are based entirely upon the vocabu- 
laries of the Aldine Primer and First Reader. 

No spelling should be attempted until the Primer has been thor- 
oughly read. At this time the pupils should be perfectly familiar 
with the following initial consonant sounds. The names of the letters 
should not be taught until the Primer has been read and these basic 
sounds mastered. However, all pupils ought to be able to name all 
of the letters when the first forty-five pages of the First Reader have 
been completed. The words followed by the letter " m " are included 
among the 1000 commonest words in English writing: 



INITIAL CONSONANTS FROM KEY WORDS IN PRIMER 



c. come™ 


J- 


joy 


r. run 


d. day"" 


I. 


little" 


s. sing 


f. for"" 


m. 


me"" 


t. tell" 


g. girr 


n. 


news" 


w. wind" 


h. he-" 


P- 


play" 


y. your" 



At the completion of the forty-fifth page in the First Reader the 
pupils should know the following three initial and twenty-four blended 
consonants plus the fifteen shown above. A quick recognition and easy 
application of these sounds are absolutely necessary if pupils are to 
possess the proper degree of independence in the working out of new- 
words in reading. Furthermore, this phonetic accomplishment will 
furnish the ear training, without which spelling can never be learned. 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— FIRST GRADE 37 



THREE INITIAL AND TWENTY-FOUR BLENDED CONSONANTS 



k. kilP 


pl. play "^ 


tr. 


tree™ 


qu. quill 


si. sleep 


sh. 


sheep 


V. vest 


br. bring™ 


sk. 


sky 


bl. blue"" 


cr. cry 


sm. 


smile 


cl. clay 


dr. dry 


sn. 


snow 


fl. fly 


fr. from'" 


squ. 


squirrel 


gl. glacr 


gr. ground™ 


St. 


stay™ 


ch. chest 


pr. pry 


svv. 


sway 


thr. through" 


wh. when" 


spr. 


spray 



THE LIST OF WORDS 

Of the ninety-two words in the Primer, eighty-five have been 
selected for part of the spelling work. Two hundred eighty-six of the 
609 words in the first fifty-six families of Aldine phonics complete the 
hst, maldng 371 words for the first grade. It will be noticed that 
twenty-nine of the words from which the initial consonants and blends 
are learned have been repeated in the groups listed below. The entire 
hst, therefore, includes but 342 different words. 

Thirty-two of the eighty-five words from the Primer are not to be 
found in the fifty-six families mentioned and must, therefore, be taught 
separately. If a pupil has been taught the " ay " family and is 
thoroughly trained in the recognition and use of the initial and blended 
consonants shown above, he ought to spell " say," " day," " may," 
" play," etc., without much effort. 

The difficulties, then, in this list of words are to be found largely 
in the teaching of the initial and blended consonants, the fifty-six 
key words, and the thirty-two w^ords in the Primer that cannot be 
grouped. It is strongly recommended that the spelling start with the 
words in series and that several of these series be taught before any 
of the words in a list of thirty-two are presented. 



THE 286 WORDS THAT CAN BE GROUPED 



1 


2 


3 


4 


hay 


see™ 


fly 


old™ 


nest 


lay™ 


be™ 


sky 


hold™ 


best™ 


play' 


bee 


by™ 


cold™ 


west™ 


pay"^ 


me™ 


my™ 


bold 


rest™ 


pray 


he™ 


try™ 


fold 




way'' 


she™ 


why™ 


gold™ 


5 


stay' 


we™ 


cry 


mold 


say™ 




tree™ 


dry 


sold™ 


day™ 


6 


three™ 


buy™ 


told™ 


may™ 


all™ 



38 

fair 

hall 

call™ 

tall 

ball™ 

wall 

small™ 

7 
flew 
blew 
new™ 
knew™ 



grew 



grow 

blow™ 

snow 

low™ 

show™ 

know ™ 

throw™ 

10 

let™ 

get™ 

yet™ 

met 

pet 

set™ 

net 

11 

will™ 

till 

fill™ 

hill 

mill 

kill™ 

still™ 

quill 

ill 

12 
sing 
ring ™ 
bring™ 
spring™ 
string 
king 
thing™ 
swing 



13 
made™ 
shade 
grade 

14 
glad™ 
had™ 
bad™ 
mad 
sad 

15 

can™ 

ran™ 

man ™ 

fan 

pan 

Dan 

than™ 

an™ 

16 
look™ 
took™ 
cook 
book™ 
hook 
brook 
shook 

17 
back™ 
crack 
Jack 
black™ 
rack 
stack 
quack 

18 
found™ 
round ™ 
ground ™ 
pound ™ 
sound 

19 

tell™ 

well™ 

fell™ 

bell 

sell 

spell™ 

smell 



SPELLING 




20 


rake 


night™ 


sake 


right™ 


take™ 


bright 


flake 


fight™ 


snake 


fight™ 






28 


21 


near™ 


last™ 


hear™ 


fast 


dear™ 


past™ 


year™ 




ear 


22 




hide 


29 


side™ 


feed 


ride™ 


need ™ 


wide 


deed 


shde™' 


seed 


23 


30 


at™ 


rain ™ 


nat™ 


grain 


cat 


train™ 


bat 




fat 


31 


that™ 


soon™ 


mat 


moon 


pat 


noon ™ 


rat 


spoon 


sat 




flat 


32 




and™ 


24 


sand 


long™ 


stand™ 


song™ 


hand™ 


strong 






33 


25 


must™ 


feet 


just™ 


meet™ 


trust™ 


sweet 




street™ 


34 




saw™ 


26 


paw 


kite™ 


draw 


white™ 




write m 


35 


bite 


star 




far™ 


27 


car™ 


wake 




make™ 


36 


bake 


bed™ 


cake 


red™ 



Fred 
sled 
Ned 
fed 

37 
did™ 
hid 
kid 
fid 
slid 

38 

top™ 

stop™ 

drop 

hop 

shop 

30 
morn 
horn 
corn 

40 
up™ 
cup 

pup 

41 

sun 
fun 
run™ 
gun 

42 
blue™ 

43 
peep 
deep ™ 
keep™ 
sweep 
sheep 
sleep 

44 

it™ 
sit™ 
hit 
qait 

45 

head ™ 
lead™ 





MINIMUM SPI 


:lling lists- 


-FIRST GRADE 


39 


read™ 


cent™ 


skin 


bone 


54 


bread 


tent 
spent™ 


thin 


cone 


him™ 
swim 


46 




50 


52 




fair™ 


48 


down™ 


big™ 


55 


air™ 


came™ 


town™ 


dig 


over™ 


hair 


name™ 


gown 


pig 


clover 


pan- 


game™ 


clown 


twig 


Rover 


pair™ 


same™ 


brown 






chair 




crown 


53 


56 




49 




seen™ 


eat™ 


47 


in™ 


51 


green 


meat 


went™ 


pm 


shone 


queen 


neat 


sent™ 


chin 


stone™ 




seat 



THE THIRTY-TWO WORDS THAT CANNOT BE GROUPED 



after™ 


does™ 


jump 


there™ 


when™ 


are™ 


for™ 


little™ 


they™ 


where ™ 


bird 


girls™ 


now™ 


to™ 


who™ 


boys™ 


good™ 


of™ 


under ™ 


with™ 


come ™ 


go™ 


on™ 


want™ 


you™ 


cover™ 


is™ 


some™ 


what™ 


your™ 


cows 


joy 


Second Grade 







(Review first-grade work at the beginning of the year.) 

The words in series were selected by twenty second-grade teachers 
from among those listed in the various families of words taught in con- 
nection with the Aldine Second Reader. Those not in series were 
taken from the sources indicated. A word was not included unless 
it was reported by fifty per cent of the teachers. The number of the 
series is shown above the words. The figure following each word 
shows the number of teachers reporting it and the words followed by 
the letter " m " are included among the 1000 commonest words in 
English writing. 

First Semester 



57 




59 




feather . . . 


17 


64 




hang 


10 


swam .... 


18 






rock 


14 


sang 


20 






62 




lock 


13 


rang 


19 


60 




luck 


13 


knock. . . . 


16 


sprang. . . 


13 


ought .... 


13™ 


cluck 


15 


clock 


18 






thought. . 


17™ 


duck 


20 






58 




brought. . 


]3,„ 










clap 


16 


bought. . . 


15™ 


63 




65 




cap 


15 






cool 


19 


loud 


17 


trap 


12 


61 




spool 


15 


proud .... 


14 


wrap 


12 


weather . . . 


18™ 


school 


20™ 


cloud. . . . 


17 



40 



SPELLING 



66 

not 13' 

got 12' 

hot 11' 

trot 13 

67 

dark 19" 

bark 16 

park 16 

lark 13 

68 

hive 19 

five 18' 

alive 11 

drive 19 

69 

thank 20' 

bank 11 

70 

find 19^ 

kind 20' 

mind 12" 

blind 12 

71 

rose 18 

those 20° 

nose 13 

close 17° 

72 

chick 13 

quick 19 

sick 12° 

73 

then 20"^ 

hen 12 

men 13^^ 

when 20"" 

74 

deer 15 

cheer 14 

queer 19 

75 

care 20™ 

bare 11 

share 11 



76 

east 19' 

feast 13 

77 

speak 20' 

weak 13 

78 

ice 16' 

mice 16 

nice 19' 

twice 12 

79 

age 14' 

cage 20 

page 17' 

80 

jump 20 

pump 10 

81 

think 14^ 

drink 17 

pink 13 

ink 17 

82 

skip 18 

ship 19° 

83 

sail 18° 

mail 11° 

84 

gate 14 

ate 12 

late 16° 

plate 10 

skate 18 

85 

plant 19" 

can't 16 

ant 11 

86 

cried 19 

tried 17 

87 

out 14 *" 

about 19°° 

shout 14 



88 

flies 16 

skies 13 

tries 13 

cries 13 

89 

rob 17 

knob 13 

90 

reach 19' 

peach 19 

bleach 19 

each 17' 

91 
dash 15 "^ 

92 

love 20" 

dove 15 

glove 11 

93 

this 20° 

miss 17° 

kiss 19 

94 

fine 20 ° 

mine 16° 

nine 15° 

shine 16° 

95 

grass 21 

pass 14° 

glass 13° 

class 16° 

96 

lift 16 

sv\'ift 14 

drift 11 

gift 14 

97 

coat 20 

goat 19 

boat 18°* 



98 

moss 10 

toss 15 

cross 18 

99 

whence. ... 19 

thence 11 

pence 19 

100 

how 20' 

cow 16 

now 18"^ 

plow 18 

101 

skirt 19 

shirt 12 

dirt 17 

102 

dream 20 

team 11 

cream 19 

steam 12 

103 

leap 20 

cheap 16 

104 

log 11 

frog 20 

dog 20 

105 

pea 11 

sea 19° 

tea 17 

106 

roll 14 

troll 16 

107 

stove 20 

drove 19 

grove 10 

108 

dress 20"" 

guess 18™ 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— SECOND GRADE 



41 



walk, 
talk. . 
chalk 



pale, 
tale, 
sale. 



109 



110 



111 



seek. . 
creek . 
cheek , 
week. . 



lost . 
cost. 
frost 



112 



113 



gave, 
brave . 



114 



soft. 
loft. 



115 



taste. 



14' 
14' 
15 



13 
11 
16 



14 
12 
12 
20' 



19' 
16' 
17 



20' 
19 



20' 
15 



20 



paste, 
haste. 



116 



wear 
bear, 
tear. 



neck, 
peck 



dull. . 

June, 
tune. 



snug . 
dug. . 
bug., 
rug. . 



117 



118 



119 



120 



121 



hole. . , 
whole , 



122 



meal . 
steal, 



14 
15 



17' 
17' 
10 



20 
15 



10 



20' 
20 



17 
15 
13 
10 



18 
20' 



20 
16 



123 



good . 
stood , 
wood. 



124 



awoke, 
spoke . 
broke . 
smoke. 



125 



life. . 
knife. 



126 



single . 
jingle . 



127 



curL 
hurl 



128 



owl. . 
growl . 



129 
enough. . . 



20' 
17' 
16 



17 
17 
16' 
14 



20' 
20 



16 
14 



20 
16 



18 
19 



20' 



rough 
tough 



bud., 
mud 



yawn , 
dawn. 



130 



131 



end , 
send. , 
mend . 
spend , 



132 



133 



cliff, 
stiff. 



leave. 



dome, 
home. 



134 



135 



136 



note. , 
wrote , 



19 
10 



20 
20 



19 
16 



13' 

19' 

11 

16' 



18 
17 



20' 



20 

20' 



19 
20' 



Second Semester 



137 






142 




fist. . 




10 




151 




boot 


17 


eight. 




20"" 








girl . . 




20 


root 


18 


weight . . . . 


17 




147 




whirl. 




19 


138 

roof 

hoof 


20 
19 


blaze, 
graze. 


143 


20 
16 


bean . 
mean 
clean. 




16 

14 m 

20"^ 


cane, 
lane. . 


152 


20 
13 


139 

never 

ever 


20"' 

18"" 


roar. . 
oar. . 


144 


19 
15 


fern. . 
stern. 


148 


20 
15 


ask. . 
task.. 


153 


20 
20 


140 
oak 


19 


maid, 
paid, 
laid. . 


145 


14 

18'" 


hard, 
yard. 


149 


19"^ 
19 "> 


hush, 
brush 


154 


19 
14 


cloak 

• 


19 




13 




150 




thrush . . . . 


10 


141 






146 




arm. . 




17 




155 




felt 


18"' 


twist. 




19 


farm. 




19 


faint . 




17 


melt 


17 


mist . 




11 


harm. 




11 


paint. 




19 



42 



SPELLING 



156 

matter 20' 

patter 11 

chatter 13 

scatter .... 13 

157 

smart 13 

start W 

part ir 

chart 14 

158 

boy 20° 



joy. 
toy, 



15 
16 



159 

pond 20 

fond 17 

160 

bunch 20 

lunch 20 

161 

piace 20' 

race 20"' 

face 18" 



162 

own 16' 

known. ... 17' 

grown 14 

blown 12 



163 



but. 
cut. 
nut. 
shut 



164 



stretch , 



16' 
14' 
10 
15' 



19 



fetch. 



12 



165 

catch 20' 

scratch. ... 15 

match 17 

166 

feel 19^ 

wheel 13 

167 

flag 19 

bag 14 

tag 12 



The thirty-eight words selected from the " One Hundred 
Demons " are given below (see page 12). The figures following the 
words indicate the regular grade lists in which the words are pre- 
sented. The letter " m " indicates that the word is included among 
the 1000 commonest words in English writing. 



always' 
anjr™ 

again "" 
been"" 
busy™ 
blue^ "" 
buyi''' 
could "" 



commg 
does! "" 
done"* 
deari "^ 
every™ 
having 
here'" 
heari "" 



justi™ 
knew^ ™ 
know^ ™ 
many ™ 
making 
much''^ 
once"^ 
road "" 



said" 
says™ 
some^ "" 
seems ^ 
there! "" 
two™ 
too™ 



theyi" 

very™ 

which™ 

where^ ™ 

write™ 

wrote! ™ 

week2™ 



^ The following are also selected from the 1000 commonest words. 
Without study on this particular list at least seventy-nine per cent 
of them were spelled correctly by second grade pupils in eighty-four 
cities in the United States. 



do 


ago 


live 


yes 


her 


a 


time 


mother 


law 


them 


can 


into 


land 


house 


other 


the 
so 


today 
like 


child 
lot 


I 
as 


baby 
was 


no 


SIX 


box 


one 


his 


ten 


have 


belong 


has 


led 


us 


had 


door 


if 


lay 


am 


hand 










Third Grade 







Review the thirty-eight "Demons" in the second 
Teach these also. They are included in the original list of 



among '^ 
answer' 
built™ 



beginning' 

break 

can't 



country™ 

color 

don't™ 



doctor™ 

easy™ 

early™ 



gi'ade hst. 
' Demons." 

enough™ 
friend ™ 
February™ 





MINIMUM S 


FELLING LIS1 


rs— THIRD 


GRADE 4 


forty"" 


meant™ 


sugar 


tired 


writing 


guess™ 


minute™ 


shoes 


though™ 


would™ 


half°^ 


none™ 


sure™ 


through™ 


Wednesday 


hour"" 


often™ 


since™ 


tonight™ 


wear™ 


heard "* 


piece™ 


their™ 


truly™ 


whole™ 


laid 


ready™ 


Tuesday™ 


used 


won't 


lose"" 


straight 


tear 


women™ 





Carefully review the words followed by " m " in the lists for grades 
one and two. Teach the following, which ai-e among the 1000 com- 
monest words. Without special study at least seventy-nine per cent 
of them were spelled correctly by tne tnird grade pupils in eignty- 
four cities in the United States. The figures following the words 
indicate the grades in which they are taught for the first time. The 
words are arranged in three groups. Those in each group are equally 
diflficult, but the ones in Group C are more difficult than those in 
Group B, and those in Group B than those in Group A. The figure 
2c means that the word was introduced among the " Demons " in 
the second grade. 









Group A 








nine 


2 


cut 


2 


each 


2 


than 


1 


race 


2 


song 


1 


soon 


1 


its 




miss 


2 


winter 




came 


1 


very 


2c 


ride 


1 


stone 


1 


Sunday 




or 




tree 


1 


free 




show 


1 


thank 


2 


sick 


2 


lake 




Monday 




dear 


1- 


got 


2 


page 


2 


yet 


1 


west 




north 




nice 


2 


find 


2 


sold 




white 


1 


end 


2 


give 




told 




spent 


1 


fall 


1 


new 


1 


best 




foot 




feet 




letter 




form 




blow 


1 


went 


1 


take 


1 


far 


1 


block 




back 


1 


IVIr. 




gave 


2 


spring 


1 


away 




after 


1 


alike 




river 




paper 




thing 


1 


add 




plant 


2 


put 




what 


1 












Group B 








seven 




rest 


1 


near 


1 


made 


1 


forget 




east 


2 


down 


1 


said 


2c 


happy 




son 




why 


1 


work 




noon 


1 


help 




bill 




our 




think 


2 


hard 


2 


want 


1 


more 




sister 




race 


2 


girl 


1-2 


when 


2- 


cast 




cover 


1 


part 


2 


from 


1 


card 




fire 




still 


1 


wind 


1 


south 




age 


2 


place 


2 


print 




deep 


1 


gold 


1 


report 




air 


1 


inside 




read 


1 


never 


2 


fill 


1 



-2c 



44 







SPELLING 












Group B — Continued 








blue 


l-2c 


fine 2 


found 


1 


along 




post 




cannot 


side 


1 


lost 


2 


town 


1 


May 


kind 


2 


name 


1 


stay 


1 


line 


life 


2 


room 




grand 




left 


here 


2c 


hope 




outside 




ship 2 


car 


1 


same 


1 


dark 


2 


train 1 


word 




glad 


1 


band 




saw 1 


every 


2c 


with 


1 


game 




pay 1 


under 


1 


mine 


2 


boat 


2 


large 


most 












Group C 








became 




sent 1 


cost 


2 


hurt 




brother 




mile 


price 




maybe 




rain 


1 


seem 2c 


become 




across 




keep 


1 


even 


class 


2 


tonight 




start 


2 


without 


horse 




tenth 




mail 


2 


afternoon 


care 


2 


sir 




eye 




Friday 


try 


1 


these 




glass 


2 


hour 


move 




club 




party 




wife 


delay 




seen 


1 


upon 




state 


pound 


1 


felt 


2 


two 


2c 


July 


behind 




full 




they 


l-2c 


head 1 


around 




fail 




would 




story 


barn 




set 


1 


any 


2c 


open 


camp 




stamp 




could 


2c 


short 


bear 


2 


light 


I 


should 




lady 


clear 




coming 


2c 


city 




reach 2 


clean 


2 


cent 


1 


only 




better 


spell 


1 


night 


1 


where 


l-2c 


water 


poor 




pass 


2 


week 


2-2c 


round 1 


finish 




shut 


2 


first 




Fourth 


[ Grade 




easy 





Teach all of the " One Hundred Demons " except the word 
grammar. The list will be found on page 12. Review Groups A, B 
and C in grade three and all words followed by " m " in grades one 
and two. Teach the following, which are among the 1000 common- 
est words. Without special study at least seventy-nine per cent of 
them were spelled correctly by the fourth gi'ade pupils in eighty-four 
cities in the United States. The figures following the words indicate 
the grades in which they are taught for the first time. The words are 
arranged in three groups. Those in each group are equally difficult, 
but the ones in Group C are more difficult than those in Group B, 
and those in Group B than those in Group A. 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— FOURTH GRADE 



45 





Group A 




catch 2 


vr^.r 


herself 


leave 2 


black 1 


summer 


power 


early 


warm 


above 


wish 


close 2 


unless 


ex; ress 


because 


flower 


clothing 


turn 


world 


nothing 


began 


lesson 


country 


ground 1 


able 


half 


meet 1 


lead 1 


gone 


father 


another 


such 


suit 


anything 


trip 


many 2 


track 


table 


list 


morning 


watch 


high 


people 


however 


dash 2 


talk 2 


ever 2 


mind 2 


fell 1 


J une 2 


held 


shall 


fight 1 


right 1 


church 


alone 


buy 1-2 


date 


once 2 


order 


stop 1 


road 2 


own 2 


third 


walk 2 


March 


before 


push 


grant 


next 


know 1-2 


point 


soap 


indeed 


were 


within 


news 1 


four 


dead 


done 2 


small 1 


Grot 


jp B 


body 


trust 1 


income 


brought 2 


also 


extra 


bought 2 


less 


return 


dress 2 


paid 2 


event 


those 2 


beside 


enter 


off 


office 


teach 


railroad 


true 


great 


happen 


unable 


took 1 


Miss 


begun 


ticket 


again 2 


who 1 


collect 


account 


inform 


died 


file 


driven 


both 


change 


provide 


real 


heart 


wire 


sight 


recover 


month 


few 


stood 2 


mountain 


children 


please 


fix 


steamer 


build 


picture 


born 


speak 2 


understand 


money 


goes 


past 1 


follow 


ready 


hold 1 


might 


charge 


omit 


drill 


begin 


says 2 


anyway 


army 


contract 


member 




pretty 


deal 


case 




stole 


almost 


while 






Gro 


UP C 




except 


check 


sure 


mean 2 


aunt 


prove 


least 


vote 


capture 


heard 


sorry 


court 


wrote 2 


inspect 


press 


copy 


else 


1 itself 


God 


act 



46 



) 


SPELLING 






Grade C — Continued 




bridge 


always 2 


teacher 


been 2 


offer 


something 


November 


yesterday 


suffer 


write 1-2 


subject 


among 3c 


built 


expect 


April 


que-tion 


center 


need 2 


history 


doctor 


front 


thus 


cause 


hear 1-2 


rule 


woman 


study 


size 


can y 


young 


himself 


December 


chain 


fair 1 


matter 2 


dozen 


death 


dollar 


use 


there -2 


learn 


evening 


thought 2 


tax 


wonder 


plan 


person 


number 


tire 


broke 2 


nor 


October 


pair 1 


feel 2 


January 


reason 
fifth 




Fifth Grade 





Teach all of the " One Hundred Demons," The list will be found 
on page 12. Review Groups A, B and C in grades three and four 
and all words followed by " m " in grades one and two. Teach the 
following, which are among the 1000 commonest words. Without 
special study at least seventy-nine per cent of them were spelled 
correctly by the fifth grade pupils in eighty-four cities in the United 
States. The figures following a word indicates the grade in which 
it is taught for the first time. The words are arranged in two groups. 
Those in each group are equally difficult, but the ones m Group B 
are more difficult than those in Group A. 





Group A 




eight 2 


population 


farther 


public 


afraid 


proper 


duty 


friend 


uncle 


judge 


intend 


during 


rather 


weather 2 


company 


through 


comfort 


worth 


quite 


police 


elect 


contain 


none 


until 


aboard 


figure 


knew 1-2 


madam 


jail 


sudden 


remain 


truly 


shed 


forty 


direct 


whole 


retire 


instead 


appear 


address 


refuse 


throw 1 


liberty 


request 


district 


personal 


enough 2 


raise 


restrain 


everything 


fact 


August 


roj'^al 


rate 


board 


Tuesday 


objection 


chief 


September 


struck 


pleasure 


perfect 


station 


getting 


navy 


second 


attend 


don't 


fourth 


slide 


between 


Thursday 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— SIXTH GRADE 



47 







Group B 


spend 


carried 




favor 


enjoy 


loss 




Mrs. 


awful 


fortune 




husband 


usual 


empire 




amount 


complaint 


mayor 




human 


auto 


wait 




view 


vacation 


beg 




election 


beautiful 


degree 




clerk 


flight 


prison 




though 


travel 


engine 




o'clock 


rapid 


visit 




support 


repair 


guest 




does 


trouble 


department 


regard 


entrance 


obtain 




escape 


importance 


family 


Sixth 


since 
Grade 



1-2 



which 

length 

destroy 

newspaper 

daughter 

answer 3c 

reply 

oblige 

sail 2 

cities 

known 2 

several 

desire 

nearly 



Review the " One Hundred Demons." The list will be found 
on page 12. Also review Groups A, B and C in grades three, four, 
and five and all words followed by " m " in grades one and two. 
Teach the following, which are among the 1000 commonest words. 
Without special study at least seventy-nine per cent of them were 
spelled correctly by the sixth grade pupils in eighty-four cities in the 
United States. The figure following a word indicates the grades in 
which it is taught for the first time. The words are arranged in two 
groups. Those in each group are equally difficult, but the ones in 
Group B are more difficult than those in Group A. 





Group A 




sometimes 


crowd 


include 


justice 


declare 


factory 


running 


gentleman 


engage 


publish 


allow 


enclose 


final 


represent 


position 


await 


terrible 


term 


field 


suppose 


surprise 


section 


ledge 


wonderful 


period 


relative 


claim 


direction 


addition 


progress 


primary 


forward 


employ 


entire 


result 


although 


property 


president 


Saturday 


prompt 


select 


measure 


appoint 


attempt 


connection 


famous 


information 


whose 


firm 


serve 


whom 


statement 


region 


estate 


arrest 


perhaps 


convict 


rememl:)er 


themselves 


their 


private 


either 


special 


imprison 


command 


effort 


women 


written 


debate 


important 


present 


arrange 




due 


action 





48 





SPELLING 






Group B 




forenoon 


drown 


according 


service 


lose 


adopt 


already 


injure 


combination 


secure 


attention 


effect 


avenue 


honor 


education 


distribute 


neighbor 


promise 


director 


general 


weigh 


wreck 


purpose 


tomorrow 


wear 2 


prepare 


common 


consider 


entertain 


vessel 


diamond 


against 


salary 


busy 2 


together 


complete 


visitor 


prefer 


convention 


search 


publication 


illustrate 


increase 


treasure 


machine 


different 


manner 


popular 


toward 


object 


feature 


Christmas 


success 


provision 


article 


interest 



Seventh Grade 

Review the " One Hundred Demons." The list will be found on 
page 12. Also review groups indicated by A, B or C in grades three, 
four, five and six and all words followed by " m " in grades one and 
two. Teach the following, which are among the 1000 commonest 
words. Without special study most of these were spelled correctly 
by seventy-three per cent of the children in the seventh grades of 
eighty-four cities in the United States. The figures following the 
words indicate the grades in which they are taught for the first time. 
The words are arranged in eight groups. Those in each group are 
equally difficult, but the ones in Group B are more difficult than 
those in Group A, and those in Group C are more difficult than those 
in Group B, etc. 



A 


B 


C, 


D 


often 


guess 


meant 


principal 


stopped 


circular 


earliest 


testimony 


motion 


argument 


whether 


discussion 


theater 


volume 


distinguish 


arrange mer 


improvement 


organize 


consideration 


reference 


century 


summon 


colonies 


evidence 


total 


official 


assure 


experience 


mention 


victim 


relief 


ses ion 


arrive 


estimate 


occupy 


secretary 


supply 


accident 


probably 


ass Delation 


assist 


invitation 


foreign 


career 


difference 


accept 


expense 




examination 


impossible 


responsible 




particular 


concern 


beginning 




affair 


associate 


application 




course 


automobile 


difficulty 




neither 


various 


scene 




local 


decide 


finally 





MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— EIGHTH GRADE 



49 



A 


B 




C 


marriage 


entitle 




develop 


further 


pohtical 




circumstance 


serious 


national 




issue 


doubt 


recent 




material 


condition 


business 




suggest 


government 


refer 




mere 


opinion 


minute 




senate 


believe 


ought 


2 


receive 


system 


absence 




respectfully 


possible 


conference 




agreement 


piece 


Wednesday 




unfortunate 


certain 


really 




majority 


witness 


celebration 




elaborate 


investigate 


folks 




citizen 


therefore 






necessary 


too 2 




divide 


pleasant 








E 


F 


G 


H 


organization 


immediate decision 


judgment 


emergency 


convenient principle 


recommend 


appreciate 


receipt 




allege 


sincerely 


preliminary 






athletic 


disappoint 






extreme 


especially 






practical 


annual 






proceed 


committee 






cordially 








character 








separate 








February 









Eighth Grade 

Review the " One Hundred Demons." Teach the words on page 
50 which is the entire list of the 1000 commonest words.* The words 
are arranged in the descending order of their frequency. The figures 
indicate the number of occurrences per each hundred thousand run- 
ning words in written English. The figures inserted after each fifty 
words are cumulative frequencies from the beginning. 

* Used in this arrangement with the kind permission of Dr. Ayres of the Russell 
Sage Foundation, 



50 



SPELLING 



the 6393 

and 3438 

of 3422 

to 3217 

1 2387 

a 1911 

in 1904 

that 1422 

you 1306 

for 1241 

it 1197 

was 991 

is 931 

will 873 

as 854 

have 846 

not 831 

with 822 

be 816 

your 793 

at 6C8 

we 695 

on 667 

he 619 

by 611 

but 572 

my 557 

this 551 

bis 543 

which 540 

dear 523 

from 488 

are 448 

all 448 

me 444 

so 432 

one 428 

if 408 

they 400 

had 397 

has 391 

very 383 

were 368 

been 370 

wouid 362 

she 359 

or 348 

there 341 

her 311 

an 298 

49,615 



when. . . 


. . . 288 


time. . . 


. . . 279 


go 


... 277 


some . . . 


... 273 


any 

can. . . . 


... 257 
... 250 


what . . . 


... 244 


send. . . . 


... 242 


out 


... 238 


them. . . 


... 238 


him. . . . 


... 233 


more . . . 


... 232 


about . . 


... 220 


no 


... 220 


please. . 


... 211 


week . . . 


... 211 


night. . . 
their. . . 


...206 
... 205 


other. . . 


... 203 


up 

our 


... 201 
... 200 


good. . . 


... 198 


say 

could. . . 


... 198 
... 193 


who. . . . 


... 192 


may 

letter. . . 


... 189 

... 188 


make. . . 


... 185 


write . . . 


... 182 


thing. . . 
think. . . 


... 181 
... 180 


should. . 


... 178 


truly. . . 
now. . . . 


... 178 
... 177 


its 


... 175 


two . . . . 


... 173 


take. . . . 


... 172 


thank. . 


. .. 170 


do 


... 169 


after. . . 


... 168 


than. . . 


... 167 


sir 


... 163 


last . . . . 


... 161 


house. . . 


... 160 


just. . . . 
over. . . . 


... 160 
... 160 


then. . . 


... 159 


work . . . 


... 158 


day 

here. . . . 


... 157 
... 157 




59,591 



said 153 

only 151 

well 151 

am 147 

these 146 

tell 145 

even 144 

made 144 

know 143 

year 143 

before 138 

long 137 

sincerely.. . 135 

shall 133 

sent 131 

us 131 

give 130 

Mr 129 

like 128 

enclose. ... 126 

next 125 

want 125 

hope 122 

love 121 

men 121 

old 118 

every 117 

find i:7 

most 117 

such 117 

today 117 

must 116 

way 116 

first 115 

new 113 

seem 113 

morning. . . 112 

school 112 

great Ill 

wish 110 

home 109 

feel 106 

glad 106 

never 106 

three 106 

much 105 

how 1C3 

until 103 

many 102 

put 102 

65,759 



get 101 

into 99 

let 98 

yesterday. . 98 

come 97 

ever 97 

girl 97 

also 96 

where 96 

wnile 96 

did 95 

little 95 

look 94 

respectfully 94 

afternoon . . 93 

Miss 93 

those 93 

too 93 

man 92 

own 92 

receive .... 91 

soon 91 

once 89 

street 88 

ask 87 

down 87 

yet 87 

see 86 

since 86 

cannot .... 85 

help 85 

away 83 

course 83 

through.... 83 

call 82 

meet 82 

people 80 

another. ... 79 

number. ... 78 

place 78 

Sunday. ... 78 

use 78 

church 77 

nice 77 

sure 77 

anything. . . 76 

hour 76 

children. . . 75 

don't 75 

four 75 

70,122 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— EIGHTH GRADE 



51 



kind 75 

oblige 75 

nothing. ... 74 

off 74 

believe. ... 73 

boy 73 

city 73 

found 72 

pay 72 

tomorrow. . 71 

doctor 70 

five 70 

o'clock 70 

read 70 

back 69 

enough .... 69 

fine 69 

order 69 

bed 68 

coal 68 

live 68 

mail 68 

few 67 

hear 66 

child 65 

mother. ... 65 

return 65 

same 65 

almost 64 

because. ... 64 

big 64 

Monday ... 64 

month 64 

start 64 

always 63 

both 63 

cordially. . . 63 

expect 63 

mean 63 

quite 63 

Saturday. . . 63 

again 62 

Friday 62 

something. . 62 

talk 62 

though .... 62 

office 61 

Tuesday. . . 61 

best 60 

came 60 

73,452 



says 60 

car 59 

ground .... 59 

room 59 

thought. ... 59 

under 59 

board 58 

far 58 

nine 58 

without. ... 58 

arrest 57 

trip 57 

cent 56 

right 56 

side 56 

Thursday. . 56 

friend 55 

bad 54 

late 54 

money 54 

need 54 

still 54 

book 53 

hand 53 

mile 53 

paper 53 

party 53 

word 53 

madam. ... 52 

six 52 

ten 52 

why 52 

perhaps. ... 51 

answer. ... 50 

half 50 

keep 50 

life 50 

ago 49 

business. . . 49 

does 49 

each 49 

eight 49 

knew 49 

picture .... 49 

show 49 

build 48 

care 48 

eye 48 

gentleman . 48 

head 48 

76,111 



left 48 

whether ... 48 

interest. ... 47 

January. . . 47 

present .... 47 

teacher .... 47 

tire 47 

upon 47 

young 47 

done 46 

high 46 

sorry 46 

train 46 

whom 46 

broke 45 

during 45 

feet 45 

itself 45 

several .... 45 

brought. ... 44 

everything . 44 

run 44 

took 44 

better 43 

lost 43 

possible. ... 43 

September . 43 

sick 43 

visit 43 

went 43 

act 42 

begin 42 

desire 42 

eat 42 

guess 42 

hard 42 

Hne 42 

mind 42 

October 42 

poor 42 

remember. . 42 

Wednesday 42 

women. ... 42 

wonder .... 42 

conference . 41 

died 41 

glass 41 

held 41 

less 41 

understand. 41 

78,302 



along 40 

August .... 40 

evening. ... 40 

father 40 

forenoon. . . 40 

large 40 

meant 40 

seven 40' 

address .... 39 

charge 39 

family 39 

finish 39 

hot 39 

known 39 

least 39 

plan 39 

saw 39 

seen 39 

whole 39 

whose 39 

action 38 

change. ... 38 

court 38 

follow 38 

matter 38 

cost 37 

February. . 37 

lady 37 

part 37 

reply 37 

spend 37 

attend 36 

case 36 

fall 36 

however. . . 36 

July 36 

report 36 

speak 36 

vote 36 

wife 36 

bring 35 

company. . . 35 

cut 35 

member. . . 35 

November . 35 

open 35 

reacn 35 

regard 35 

woman 35 

according . . 34 

80,175 



52 



SPELLING 



between. . . 34 

bill 34 

certain. ... 34 

copy 34 

deal 34 

director. ... 34 

might 34 

move 34 

rain 34 

small 34 

summer. ... 34 

together ... 34 

against .... 33 

clean 33 

decide 33 

issue 33 

Mrs 33 

near 33 

prompt .... 33 

question ... 33 

ring 33 

sit 33 

stamp 33 

turn 33 

winter 33 

busy 32 

folks 32 

happy 32 

lake 32 

ma^'be 32 

obtain 32 

pass 32 

ran 32 

study 32 

become. ... 31 

December.. 31 

dress 31 

earty 31 

either 31 

end 31 

except 31 

farther. ... 31 

heard 31 

March 31 

person 31 

rather 31 

water 31 

written. ... 31 

April 30 

Christmas. . 30 

81,794 



country. ... 30 

fact 30 

herself 30 

immediate . 30 

marriage. . . 30 

May 30 

provision . . 30 

reason 30 

shde 30 

story 30 

unfortunate 30 

arrange. ... 29 

awful 29 

complete. . . 29 

fire 29 

forget 29 

gave 29 

kill 29 

mere 29 

nearly 2 J 

neither 29 

noon 29 

past 29 

service 29 

unless 29 

aunt 28 

ball 28 

character. . 28 

full 28 

further 28 

learn 28 

often 28 

principle. . . 28 

ride 28 

second 28 

sister 28 

size 28 

state 28 

thus 28 

yes._. 28 

afraid 27 

annual 27 

automobile 27 

coming. ... 27 

date 27 

year 27 

law 27 

name 27 

running. ... 27 

separate. . . 27 

83,220 



sold 27 

told 27 

although. . . 26 

among 26 

association . 26 

close 26 

club 26 

dollar 26 

evidence. . . 26 

form 26 

himself. ... 26 

intend 26 

June 26 

list 26 

public 26 

station. ... 26 

table 26 

true 26 

already. ... 25 

appreciate . 25 

body 25 

clear 25 

cover 25 

driven 25 

fair 25 

getting .... 25 

got 25 

instead .... 25 

pleasant. . . 25 

price 25 

relative. ... 25 

rule 25 

son 25 

song 25 

sudden. ... 25 

throw 25 

war 25 

west 25 

world 25 

accept 24 

alone 24 

arrive 24 

began 24 

carry 24 

distribute . . 24 

earliest .... 24 

effort 24 

hat 24 

justice 24 

lose 24 

84,479 



lot 24 

material ... 24 

nor 24 

sometimes.. 24 

struck 24 

unable 24 

various .... 24 

an^ivay. ... 23 

band 23 

boat 23 

dark 23 

difference. . 23 

door 23 

enter 23 

face 23 

husband ... 23 

importance. 23 

lead 23 

light 23 

otf er 23 

pleasure. . . 23 

prepare. ... 23 

refer 23 

represent. . 23 

rest 23 

river 23 

scene 23 

special 23 

stand 23 

stop 23 

trust 23 

try 23 

walk 23 

warm 23 

weather. ... 23 

condition. . 22 

different ... 22 

else 22 

especially. . 22 

game 22 

grant 22 

indeed 22 

liberty 22 

necessary. . 22 

object 22 

paid 22 

plant 22 

popular. ... 22 

post 22 

pretty 22 

85,621 



MINIMUM SPELLING LISTS— EIGHTH GRADE 



53 



prison 22 

road 22 

section. ... 22 

subject .... 22 

success .... 22 

supply 22 

system. ... 22 

tax 22 

allow- 21 

amount. ... 21 

appoint. ... 21 

expense. ... 21 

felt 21 

fifth 21 

fill 21 

front 21 

information 21 

miss 21 

none 21 

press 21 

red 21 

salary 21 

secure 21 

set 21 

tenth 21 

ticket 21 

usual 21 

wait 21 

worth 21 

beside 20 

bought 20 

built 20 

buy 20 

carried .... 20 

destroy .... 20 

direction. . . 20 

fell 20 

fourth 20 

grand 20 

hold 20 

inform 20 

lay 20 

leave 20 

length 20 

loss 20 

mine 20 

ought 20 

outside .... 20 

pair 20 

probably. . . 20 

86,658 



ready 

real 

request . . . . 

spring 

stay 

stole 

themselves . 

third 

top 

toward . . . . 

watch 

wrote 

account. . . . 

across 

around . . . . 

card 

cause 

death 

divide 

doubt 

drown 

easy 

escape 

free 

gone 

happen . . . . 

hurt 

led 

low 

mention. . . 
promise. . . . 

result 

select 

serve 

soap 

suggest . . . . 

teach 

terrible . . . . 
therefore. . . 

uncle 

absence. . . . 

article 

became . . . . 

behind 

brother. . . . 

dead 

delay 

drill 

effect 

employ .... 



87,610 



entire 

entrance. . . 
extreme. . . . 

fix 

forty 

general .... 
objection. . . 
perfect. . . . 

period 

rapid 

region 

remain. . . . 

repair 

sail 

search 

short 

stood 

suppose. . . . 

view 

white 

able 

above 

assure 

auto 

baby 

catch 

duty 

education. . 

extra 

fail 

foot 

forward. . . . 

goes 

government 
impossible . 
include .... 
income. . . . 
increase. . . . 

inside 

investigate . 
judgment. . 

navy 

omit 

opinion. . . . 

police 

position. . . . 

power 

prefer 

proper 

push 



88,480 



raise 17 

really 17 

round 17 

shut 17 

tonight .... 17 

total 17 

trouble .... 17 

aboard. ... 16 

air 16 

appear 16 

beautiful. . . 16 

burn 16 

capture. ... 16 

career 16 

check 16 

contain. ... 16 

deep. ..... 16 

direct 16 

dozen 16 

east 16 

elect 16 

election. ... 16 

engage 16 

express. ... 16 

final 16 

finally 16 

gold 16 

horse 16 

motion. ... 16 

north 16 

occupy. ... 16 

preliminary 16 

principal. . . 16 

proceed. ... 16 

provide. ... 16 

refuse 16 

relief 16 

retire 16 

shed 16 

sight 16 

south 16 

spent 16 

stopped. ... 16 

vacation. . . 16 

weigh 16 

wind 16 

wonderful. . 16 

add 15 

affair 15 

attempt. . . 15 

89,284 



54 



SPELLING 



black 15 

claim 15 

common ... 15 

convenient . 15 

convention. 15 

daughter. . . 15 

declare .... 15 

estate 15 

event 15 

factory. ... 15 

favor 15 

God 15 

illustrate ... 15 

injure 15 

lesson 15 

minute. ... 15 

news 15 

political. . . 15 

prove 15 

rate 15 

soft 15 

suffer 15 

surprise. ... 15 

tree 15 

wear 15 

within 15 

yard 15 

age 14 

athletic. ... 14 

attention . . 14 

avenue. ... 14 

bear 14 

begun 14 

belong 14 

camp 14 

cast 14 

circular. ... 14 

class 14 

clothing. . . 14 

collect 14 

colonies. ... 14 

combination 14 

comfort.. . . 14 

complaint. . 14 
consideration 14 

disappoint . 14 

distinguish . 14 

due 14 

feature .... 14 

field 14 

90,011 



firm 14 

human. ... 14 

manner. ... 14 

neighbor. . . 14 

progress. . . 14 

recent 14 

sea 14 

session 14 

statement. . 14 

suit 14 

theater .... 14 

visitor 14 

agreement . 13 

alike 13 

allege ]3 

apphcation 13 

argument . 13 

arrangement 13 

beg 13 

chief 13 

cities 13 

clerk 13 

command . . 13 

committee . 13 

concern. ... 13 

consider. . . 13 

contract. . . 13 

crowd 13 

dash 13 

debate 13 

decision. ... 13 

degree 13 

department 13 

diamond. . . 13 

difficulty. . . 13 

discussion. . 13 

district. ... 13 

elaborate . . 13 

emergency . 13 

empire 13 

engine 13 

enjoy.. 13 

entertain. . . 13 

entitle 13 

estimate ... 13 

experience . 13 

fight 13 

figure 13 

file 13 

flight 13 

90,673 



flower 13 

foreign. ... 13 

guest 13 

history. ... 13 

important.. 13 

imprison. . . 13 

improvement 13 

jail 13 

newspaper . 13 

organization 13 

personal ... 13 

piece 13 

play 13 

primary ... 13 

receipt 13 

responsible. 13 

restrain. ... 13 

royal 13 

secretary. . . 13 

spell 13 

stone 13 

summon ... 13 

testimony. . 13 

track 13 

travel 13 

victim 13 

accident ... 12 

addition. . . 12 

adopt 12 

army 12 

assist 12 

associate. . . 12 

await 12 

beginning. . 12 

block 12 

blow 12 

blue 12 

born 12 

box 12 

bridge 12 

celebration. 12 

center 12 

century. ... 12 

chain 12 

circumstance 12 

citizen 12 

connection . 12 

convict .... 12 

develop. ... 12 

examination 12 

91,299 



famous .... 12 

fortune .... 12 

height 12 

honor 12 

ice 12 

inspect .... 12 

invitation. . 12 

juoge 12 

land 12 

ledge 12 

local 12 

machine. . . 12 

majority. . . 12 

mayor 12 

measure. . . 12 

mountain . . 12 

national. . . 12 

official 12 

organize. . . 12 

page 12 

particular. . 12 

point 12 

population . 12 

pound 12 

practical. . . 12 

president . . 12 

print 12 

private. ... 12 

property. . . 12 

publication. 12 

publish 12 

purpose. ... 12 

race 12 

railroad. ... 12 

recommend 12 

recover. ... 12 

reference. . . 12 

senate 12 

serious 12 

ship 12 

steamer. ... 12 

support. ... 12 

term 12 

town 12 

treasure. ... 12 

vessel 12 

volume .... 12 

wire 12 

witness .... 12 

wreck 12 

91,899 



WORDS COMMONLY MISSPELLED BY HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS 55 



WORDS COMMONLY MISSPELLED BY HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS 

These words were collected by fifteen English teachers in two high 
schools. The teachers were requested to keep a record of the words 
commonly misspelled by pupils in written work and make an inde- 
pendent report on these words at the close of the year. Altogether 
there were 473 different words reported. Only those which were 
reported by at least two teachers have been included in the list below. 
There were 168 of these, sixty-seven of which are found among the 
1000 commonest words in English writing. These sixty-seven words 
are followed by the letter " m." The figures indicate the number of 
teachers reporting the word. 



3 m 


almost 4 "^ 

all right lO'^ 

accommodate ... 2 

already 5 ™ 

accept 5 " 

affect 2 

architecture. ... 2 

athletics 3™ 

appearance 2 

advise 2 

attacked 2 

beginning 5 " 

business 10 "^ 

busy 4°^ 

balance 3 

benefit 3 

blue 2"^ 

believe 8°^ 

beautiful 2™ 

changeable 2 

conscientious. . . 2 

crystaUine 2 

coming 4 

cemetery 2 

choose 2 

conceive 3 

committed 2 

convenience. ... 2 

clothes 2 

course 3 ™ 

cruel 2 

Casar. 2 

corporation 2 

cried 2 

cavalry 2 

commission 2 

chief 2^ 



conscience 2 

completely 2 

deceive 2 

disappearance. . . 2 

disappoint 6' 

disappear 5 

discuss 2 

dissatisfy 2 

drowned 2 

doesn't 5 

definition 3 

development. ... 3 

disapprove 2 

don't 2' 

didn't 3 

different 2' 

describe 2' 

except 3 ' 

effect 3' 

exaggerate 2 

excellent. ...... 2 

forty 3' 

finally 4 ' 

February 2 ' 

few 2' 

grammar 5 

generally 2 

great 2' 

height 2' 

humorous 2 

its 4' 

immediately .... 5 

interrogative. ... 2 

independent .... 2 

imn.igration. ... 2 

knew 2 ' 

know 2 ' 

leisure 3 



lonely 2 

loneliness 2 

lose 5°" 

led 2°^ 

ladies 2 

misspell 2 

metaphor 3 

magazine 2 

manual 2 

necessary 6°^ 

nominative 2 

neuter 2 

principal 13"^ 

principle 8°^ 

precede 3 

proceed 2™^ 

professor 8 

parallel 3 

particular 4"° 

participle 3 

piece 4°^ 

privilege 4 

peaceful 2 

presents 2 "^ 

presence 2°^ 

planned 2 

planning 2 

peaceable 2 

probably 3 "^ 

persuade 2 

pleasant 2^ 

quite 2°" 

quiet 3 

receive 13°^ 

rhetoric 4 

recommend 3 "^ 

relieve 2 

receipt 2°* 



56 



SPELLING 



respectfully 2^ 

recommendation. 3 

repetition 2 

resemblance. ... 2' 

replied 2 

separate 8 ' 

shoulder 2 

successful 3 

sure 3 ' 

singeing 2 

simile 2 

sophomore 3 

sincerely . 3' 

suspicion 2 

straight 2 



superintendent . . 2 

success 3™ 

shining 2 ^ 

shield 2 

shepherd 3 

secretary 2°* 

stopped 2"" 

scene 2™ 

their 2°' 

there 13"" 

to 9"" 

two 5"^ 

too 4°^ 

three 7 

thoroughly 3 



together 3' 

until 2' 

usually 11 

usage 6 

using 2 

valuable 2 

village 2 

villain 2 

view 2' 

written 4' 

whether 2' 

whose 2' 

woman 2' 

Wednesday^ .... 2 ' 



ORTHOEPY 

The words in the following list are to be used for frequent lessons 
in Orthoepy. These words were collected by fifteen teachers during 
two years. Each grade, beginning with the third, except the eighth, 
is assigned twenty-five words. The respective grades are held respon- 
sible for the correct pronunciation, spelling and meaning of all words 
assigned to previous grades. The chief aim is -pronunciation, in- 
cluding enunciation. Very often, every week or two, place a list of 
words on the board and have the pupils drill on the pronunciation. 
Some of the drill may be in concert, but emphasize individual work. 
Let one pupil pronounce the whole list, then another, until every one 
can say each word accurately and clearly. Do not neglect this indi- 
vidual work. Require that the words^be used in sentences also. Start 
with the words of the lower grades and continue the drill until there 
is no hesitancy on the part of any pupil in giving the correct pro- 
nunciation of all words assigned to the grades below as well as those 
listed for his own class. When pupils are promoted, teachers should 
immediately test them on all words of previous grades. This is 
especially necessary at the beginning of the school year. Drill sys- 
tematically, persistently and regularly until every pupil is abso- 
lutely sure of his pronunciation. 







Third Grade 






again 


often 


root 


poem 


wish 


pretty 


nests 


eleven 


chimney 


geography 


catch 


children 


rather 


creek 


February 


roof 


been 


naught 


hundred 


library 


get 


desk 


just 


drowned 


piano 



Arctic 

asked 

alwaj^s 

attacked 

across 



aunt 

because 

burst 

goal 

government 



ORTHOEPY 

Fourth Grade 

hearth 

forehead 

instead 

licorice 

Mary 



57 



marry 

mountain 

poet 

poetry 

our 



smce 

surprise 
umbrella 
muskmelon 
recess 



elm 

picture 

pitcher 

where 

pumpkin 



grandpa 

handkerchief 

for 

grimy 

calliope 



Fifth Grade 

column 
theater 
escape 
peony 



vaudeville eraser 
bouquet kettle 

cleanly (adj.) matinee 
newspaper recognize 



mischievous everybody radish 



pronounce 

cranberry 

engine 

Paris 

experiment 



Danish 

accept 

genuine 

juvenile 

coffee 



Sixth Grade 

gums 

going 

guardian 

granary 

address 



height 

cupola 

pilgrim 

Asia 

Arkansas 



preface 

reservoir 

chauffeur 

Italian 

abdomen 



alternate 

ally 

alias 

aviator 

aeroplane 



admirable 

ay 

aye 

belligerent 

cavalry 



Seventh Grade 

Calvary 

conspiracy 

culinary 

Genoa 

Himalaya mquiry 



horrible 

envelope 

raspberry 



Louisiana 

Missouri 

Iowa 



perspiration national 
suite 



Eighth Grade 

clematis baritone interesting corps minnow 

telegrapher irreparable penalize data romance 

exquisite despicable inventory New Orleans illustrative 

merchandise accent (verb) incomparable compromise roil 

yolk apparatus bayou patronize lamentable 

Latin asparagus impious 



Teachers should be particularly careful of the words exquisite, 
interesting, inquiry, granary, alternate, coffee, abdomen, Missouri, 
address, bouquet, poem, recess, apparatus. 



Published June 10, 1916 

An important contribution on the subject 
by an expert 

ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS 

As Applied in 

COMMERCIAL, TECHNICAL, AND OTHER 
SECONDARY SCHOOLS 



By 
EDWARD HARLAN WEBSTER 

Head of the Department of English 
The Technical High School, Springfield, Mass. 



Advertising, Writing and Dictating Business Letters, 
News Writing, Sales Talks, After-Dinner Speak- 
ing, Conduct of a Business Meeting, Banking 
Forms, Specification Writing, are all 
vitalized by relating such business 
activities to everyday life. 

440 Pages, Cloth, Price $1.20 



NEWSON & COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 

73 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 

120 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON 

623 SOUTH WABASH AVENUE, CHICAGO 



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LANGUAGE 

-A.ldine Lang\iage Series 

By MISS CATHERINE T. BRYCE 

Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Minneapolis 
and 

DR. FRANK E. SPAULDING 

Superintendent of Schools, Minneapolis 
Joint Authors of the Aldine System of Teaching Reading 

ALDINE LANGUAGE METHOD 

The most important innovation of the Aldine 
Language Series is the publication of a comprehen- 
sive Teacher's Manual, offering a distinct and 
orderiy plan for the teaching of language. 

Dr. H. E. Bennett, Professor of Education, 
College of William and Mary, and Division Super- 
intendent, Williamsburg, Va., referring to the Aldine 
Language Method — A Manual for Teachers, says: 
" It affords the teacher more help and wiser guidance 
without destroying her initiative than any other 
publication that I know of." 

The Aldine Language Series is designed to cover 
the work in Grades Three to Eight, inclusive, of 
the grammar school. Profiting by their experience 
in the preparation of the Aldine Readers, Dr. Spauld- 
ing and Miss Bryce have succeeded in developing 
the most interesting and logical method of teaching 
language in the elementary grades that has yet 
been devised. Results following the use of this 
method are attracting unusual commendation. 



NEWSON & COMPANY 

New York Boston Chicago 



ALDINE 
SUPPLEMENTARY READING 

THE PLAYTIME PRIMER 

For 'first year work. By Catherine T. Bryce. 
128 pp., cloth, 79 illustrations. 

BUSY BROWNIES AT WORK 

For first year work. By Isobel Davidson, 
Supervisor of Primary Schools, Baltimore Co., 
Md., and Catherine T. Bryce. 
128 pp., cloth, 63 illustrations. 

BUSY BROWNIES AT PLAY 

For first and second year work. By Isobel 
Davidson and Catherine T. Bryce. 
128 pp., cloth, 60 illustrations. 

LITTLE PLAYMATES 

For first year work. By Angelina W. Wray. 
148 pp., cloth, 47 illustrations. 

SEAT WORK TO ACCOMPANY LITTLE PLAY- 
MATES 
Directions are given in the teachers' edition of 
" Little Playmates." 

SHORT STORIES FOR LITTLE FOLKS 
For first year work. By Catherine T. Bryce. 
136 pp., cloth, 92 illustrations. 

THAT'S WHY STORIES 

For second and third year work. By Catherine 

T. Bryce. 

182 pp., cloth, 76 illustrations. 

FABLES FROM AFAR 

For third year work. By Catherine T. Bryce. 
198 pp., cloth, 41 illustrations. 

FOLK LORE FROM FOREIGN LANDS 

For fourth year work. By Catherine T. Bryce. 
156 pp., cloth, 44 illustrations. 



READING 

Aldine 
System of TeacKing IVeadin^ 

By FRANK E. SPAULDING 

Superintendent of Schools,' Minneapolis 
and 

MISS CATHERINE T. BRYCE 

Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Minneapolis 
Joint Authors of the Aldine Language Series 

ALDINE READING METHOD- 
LEARNING TO READ 

A Manual for Teachers using the Primer, First, Second and 
Third Readers 

The Aldine Readers 

The Aldine Readers serve a three-fold purpose: 

First: They offer in conjunction with Learning 
to Read, and the material referred to below, a method 
in reading that is considered by many able educators 
to be unquestionably the best published. 

Second: They are especially well adapted for 
use as basal readers independently of the method 
which they enunciate. 

Third: They are admirably suited for use as 
supplementary readers. 

Aldine CKarts and Cards 

The Aldine Readers, used as directed in the 
Manual, have given wonderful results in thousands 
of schools. To make the teaching of reading even 
more effective, further auxiliary aids are provided 
in the form of a reading chart, rhyme charts, phonic, 
sight word, rhyme cards, etc., and a well-defined 
and carefully graded series of Supplementary readers. 



NEWSON & COMPANY 

New York Boston Chicago 



Hiln'^'^"^ ^"^ CONGRESS \ 



021 720 856 7 



ALDINE 

THE MASTER KEY 

to the Mo^ Efficient Method of 
Teaching English by G)nrelating 



READING SPELLING LANGUAGE 



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